Web of Betrayal
by Dyna Dee
Summary: YAOI - While trying to help free his friend, Trowa discovers a web of betrayal that ensnared Duo, much to his detrement.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I don't own any part of Gundam Wing, and I only borrow its characters to fuel my imagination, with no profit or gain other than the pleasure of writing.

Web of Betrayal

By: Dyna Dee

Warnings: yaoi, mild language, angst, talk of past NCS.

Chapter 1, Betrayal Abounds

"Damn them." Trowa swore, venting his frustration to the empty office a moment after he'd shut off the vid phone. He'd just finished speaking with his so-called friends, and he felt more bitter with disappointment in them then real anger. He'd initiated the calls on the flimsy pretext of a social call, finding out what the other three were up to, and covertly seeking to find out if any of them had any plans for leaving their homes in the near future. The conversations were polite if not a little stiff, which was typical of their communication for the last two years. But the calls had achieved his goal, and he was anything but happy about it. He knew the others had to be aware what the significance of today's date, and not a one of them was making a move to right the wrong done two years ago.

"Duo," he moaned his friend's name and slumped back into his chair and ran his hands up and over his face and through his hair. "Two years," he whispered. "Two very long, damnable years."

Tilting his head back, he stared up at the ceiling, letting the feeling of disappointment in his former comrades wash over him like a wet blanket, leaving him uncomfortable and ill at ease. "Don't know why I'm so disappointed," he mildly chastised himself. The fact of the matter was that he had spent the last two years in preparation for this day, instinctively knowing that the others would fail their friend from L-2 once again.

For the past two years Duo's words and pleading eyes had haunted him. In his mind he could still see him clearly, dressed all in black, his hair glistening in its braid from the bright lights shining down from above him as he faced his accusers in the courtroom on L-4. 

"I'm innocent!" he'd declared hotly, his back straight and his chin held high with a look of righteous indignation. "Someone has set me up!" 

He remembered how Duo had turned to face the two people he knew best in the crowded courtroom on that dreadful day. "I never lie," he stated, and both he and Quatre knew it was true; in fact all those who knew him well were very much aware of this particular virtue that helped to define the orphan from L-2.

Duo's eyes turned to Quatre sitting with several of his sisters behind the prosecutor's table on the other side of the courtroom. "Quatre," he spoke with a firm voice daring his friend to deny his words. "You know I didn't steal from you. In all the time we've known each other, have I ever taken anything from you?"

It was in that very moment when a single glance revealed one person's hidden secret; a resentment that had been deeply buried. Quatre's blue eyes shifted from Duo's pleading face to Trowa as he sat behind the public defender assigned to the teen on trial by the court. Trowa met his gaze briefly before clarity hit and Quatre looked back knowingly at their braided friend. Duo's gasp was barely audible, the message was received as to a reason why he stood alone before a judge defending himself against the charge of grand larceny. It had to have gone through Duo's mind, as it had his own, that his standing there might possibly be the result of Quatre's deeply hidden jealousy of his lover's one night spent in Duo's comforting embrace on Peacemillion during the first war. Is this the way it had finally manifested itself? The brief look the blond billionaire had given Duo was one of hurt and betrayal, and it seemed so out of place on the young man who rarely showed emotions other than empathy, love, and concern for others.

Trowa's look of shocked disbelief mirrored Duo's expression. Then the slight, black clad shoulders sank down in defeat, and Duo dropped his gaze to the floor.

"Are you ready for your sentencing?" the judge has asked. Duo nodded and turned away from Quatre to face the middle-aged man who held his future in his hands. 

Trowa remembered clearly how he had wanted to jump to his feet and scream at the whole injustice of what was happening. To rail at the evidence planted in Duo's duffle bag, at the jury who took that evidence and convicted him, and at Quatre for standing back from helping Duo, justifying his inaction by saying the law would decided Duo's innocence or guilt. Trowa had been dumbfounded by his lover's statement at the time. What the hell did that mean when their closest friend had been framed for a crime he didn't commit?

The judge sat quietly, holding the courtroom's attention as he sifted through several papers in a file place in front of him on his podium. "Duo Maxwell," the man's voice spoke with authority and firmness. "You have been judged and found guilty of the charge of grand larceny by a group of your peers. Today it is my job to sentence you according to your crime."

He looked up from the papers and focused his eyes on the handsome young man standing despondently before him. The heart shaped face displayed the sadness the boy felt. "From records and personal referrals I've received, it's clear to me that you have led a lawless life, and no doubt this is one of the few times you've been caught in the act."

Duo hung his head. In a way, the judge was correct. Duo had to steal as a child to survive, and during the war they all took what we needed from their enemies. They had all, with the exception of Quatre, lived on money pilfered from their enemies' accounts, hacked expertly by Heero or Duo. There wasn't a one of them that hadn't taken a car or truck or even medical supplies when needed. All of them were just as guilty and lawless as the judge now described Duo. The irony was that this time, Duo hadn't taken anything, but was found guilty of the charge anyway.

"And because the artifact that was stolen from the Winner safe was valued at twenty million credits, I have been urged and do now sentence you to the maximum sentence." Trowa remembered seeing Duo's body shudder at what we knew was coming. 

The judge sat up straight to render the sentence. "Duo Maxwell, you are ordered to Penal Colony Four for a maximum confinement of six years. Parole may be first offered in two years if your record in that institution stays above reproach."

Duo turned with wide, panicked eyes to look at him, he supposed it was because he considered Trowa his only ally left in the room. Trowa bolted to his feet, ignoring the faint clapping from the other side of the room and, regardless that no one else in the room came to their feet, he opened his arms to his friend. There had only a brief moment to hold his friend from L-2, feeling the trim, trembling body in his arms before the guards pulled them apart and began to pull Duo out of the room.

"I'll get you out, Duo." He shouted to his faintly struggling friend, hoping to reassure him he wouldn't be forgotten. Duo had just a moment to look behind him with a look of terror in his eyes as he was pulled from the room.

The day didn't get any better after that. Trowa couldn't even look at Quatre and vaguely noticed his sisters who smugly grinned at their victory. He left his seat and walked towards the exit and was surprised to see Wufei there, dressed in his Preventer's Uniform. His first impulse was to smack the smug, pompous expression from the former Shenlong pilot's face. Since joining that law enforcement agency the Chinese boy had grown to become a pious, walking law book, or as Duo had described him, "An insufferable, pompous, unbending, unforgiving prick." What an apt description of the man he looked at then as Wufei put a hand on his arm to halt his leaving.

"I have nothing to say to you, Wufei." He remembered telling the other, upset that he, too, had done nothing to help Duo or his case. He had been turned down by their former comrades when he had contacted them to investigate for themselves who could have taken the centuries old Faberge Egg from the household safe and hidden it in Duo's luggage. It was beyond his understanding why no one else found it strange that, once the gaudy egg was discovered missing from the safe, the L-4 authorities were called, arrived, and within moments searched only Duo's room.

"Don't take it so personally, Trowa." Wufei's comment at that moment bothered him, even to this day. "He was given a fair trial and has to suffer the consequences of his actions."

"You think he did it, don't you?" Trowa challenged him angrily. "You know Duo doesn't lie. He wouldn't steal from Quatre."

"I'm not his judge or jury." Wufei said condescendingly. At that moment, Trowa really hated the guy. "The law says he's guilty."

"You're a heartless bastard, Wufei." He growled at him as his anger rose. "And you can carry that same message to Heero. Both of you are pathetic excuses for a friend."

"He and Relena are at a conference and couldn't make it." Wufei had defended the absentee pilot.

"Yeah, I can only imagine." Trowa remembered he had really been on a roll, fueled by his rage and frustration at the situation. "Probably at some plush resort, drinking cocktails while politely discussing the weather." He was fuming at that point. "Dammit Wufei, they were lovers. It's bad enough he broke Duo's heart by leaving him for Relena, but to not come and support or help him when he needed us. Damn him." He turned to leave but couldn't help but add over his shoulder, "How honorable are you when your friendship proved to be fair weather only, Chang Wufei?"

He strode away, putting thoughts of Wufei, Heero and the rest of Duo's betrayers behind him and began concentrating on the best way to help his friend, now headed for the penal colony. Hailing a cab, he took it back to the Winner mansion that had been his home for the last year. The house was quiet as a tomb as he made his way to his and Quatre's room and went directly to the closet and pulled out a large suitcase. Opening it up on top of the bed, it didn't take long to pack his clothing and a few mementos he couldn't part with.

His memory was still very clear of that moment in time. He'd looked up from the emptied dresser drawer to gaze at himself in the mirror, reflecting on the person looking back at him. In terms of physical appearance, he was taller and bulkier than he had been during the war, and his hair was shorter, no longer having the long hunk of hair hanging over half his face. It was short in front and brushed back to reveal the eyes he'd hidden for so long. He no longer needed to hide who or what he was. Quatre and Duo both had a hand in that transformation. They repeatedly told him he was a person of worth, that he had been a gundam pilot and, because of it, he should walk tall and look the world in the eye. Duo had been so surprised when he'd come for one of his many weekend visits to find the new hairstyle. He and Quatre had both openly gushed at his "beautiful eyes". He had then lowered those eyes from his reflection, the memory too painful. His gaze then fell on his hand and the gold ring on this left ring finger. Moving slowly he pulled it off and after reflecting for a moment the meaning of it and what it had represented, he set it down on the polished wood surface.

"What are you doing?" Quatre's alarmed voice came from the doorway and surprised him.

"Saying goodbye," he answered in a pained voice.

"Trowa." Quatre gasped and quickly walked towards him to stand face to face with his lover. "Don't let Duo's mistake ruin us," he pleaded.

"Duo did nothing, and you know it," he'd answered sharply. "My leaving is a result of what you did and didn't do."

"And what exactly did I do or not do?" The blonde challenged him.

"You didn't get him a good attorney like I requested." He clearly remembered turning away from the love of his life to place the remaining articles of clothing in his suitcase and zipped it up.

"Trowa, I told you," Quatre sighed in a condescending way that he'd always hated. "It would have been a conflict of interest as Duo was arrested, charged, and convicted of stealing from me and my family. How would it look if I hired an attorney to get him off? It would look like I condoned such behavior."

Trowa shook his head. "It would have looked like you believed him when he said he didn't take it. You would have looked like a friend who could be counted on."

"You don't understand." He clearly recalled the exasperation in Quatre's voice.

"Contrary to your belief that I'm too stupid to understand," he snapped back in anger. "But I think I do. I understood very well that look you gave Duo in the courtroom. Your actions or inactions were a direct result of your jealousy."

"I am not jealous of Duo," the blond snapped back a little too quickly. "He has nothing I want or need."

"Except for the fact that he had me first," Trowa said in a more controlled and cold voice than even he believed possible. "That's always bothered you, hasn't it?" His anger had been rising again. "I knew it was a mistake to tell you about that night, but Duo said relationships are built on honesty, not lies. I thought you'd accepted the reason why he slept with me, that he had spent that one night comforting me as I was lost, scared and insecure, with no memory, and confused. He was there for me because you were too caught up in your guilt for almost killing me to get close to me then."

He closed his eyes and could still see in his mind two years previous as Quatre stood no more then five feet away from him, his arms rigidly straight at his side and his fists were balled up tightly and shaking. He knew that he'd hit on the truth. This had been a sore subject between the two of them, so they never discussed it, letting it simmer on the back burner for too long. "Just please, tell me you didn't set him up." Trowa mentally begged him to say he was innocent.

Blue eyes widened and watered. "How can you even think that Trowa? Duo is one of my best friends. After all we've been through together, how could you think I'd deliberately set him up for more pain?"

Inwardly, he sighed with relief, but knew he couldn't stop there. "Then you should be ashamed of your actions." He'd told the other. "Duo has always been honest and our friend. You've betrayed him with your jealousy, lack of faith, and with your lack of desire to help him when he needed you the most."

"I'm sorry, Trowa." Quatre had cried out in anguish. "Please, don't leave. I love you." The memory of his lover pleading with him affected him even two years later. Clearly, in reconstructing that day in his mind, he saw himself picking up the suitcase and turning to the distraught heir of the Winner fortune.

"I love you, too." he'd answered softly. "But how can I trust that you won't do to me what you did to Duo?"

"Trowa!" Quatre said horrified, and stepped up to him, grabbing hold of his arms and looked with earnest pleading into his face. "I swear to you, in Allah's name, that I didn't set him up."

"If you didn't, then who did?"

"I don't know, Trowa," was the anxious reply.

He'd looked into those blue eyes he could never get enough of and said the words that had hurt them both.

"I don't know if I can believe you."

"I've never lied to you, love." Quatre's eyes pleaded for him to believe him.

"Neither did Duo," he replied and walked past his lover and out of his mansion.

That was one of the hardest things he'd ever had to do in his life. He knew he'd left most of his heart behind him on L-4, but he had a new goal that superceded his own wants and desires. He had to free Duo.

With that purpose in mind, he'd gone straight to Earth, to Brussels and the Central Headquarters for the Preventers. Lady Une was surprised but pleased to see him as he entered her office inquiring about a possible job with her organization. When he left her an hour later, it was with a new job and a high-level salary and benefits that were granted someone with his unique qualifications.

For several days, he'd scoured the rental agency listings, visiting several apartments and boarding houses. The minute he'd met Mrs. Lunderson, he knew her home was where he wanted to settle down.

The elderly, white-haired woman who had opened the door to him that day was small in stature, and she seemed tiny and frail in comparison to his larger frame. Her steel blue eyes, enlarged slightly by the thick rimmed, oval glasses perched on her long, narrow nose had looked the new Preventer up and down in an analytical manner, seeming to sum his worth up in her wizened gaze. He felt as if he'd been undressed and thoroughly interrogated, and she hadn't even opened her mouth yet. He guessed he passed whatever assessment she'd put him through as she suddenly smiled warmly at him, the skin around her eyes crinkling from the movement, as humor and compassion twinkled in her aged eyes.

He introduced himself and told her of his interest in her spare room she'd advertised, and she in turn invited him in for a cup of tea. That was the beginning of their odd but jointly satisfying, mother-son type friendship. In the frail looking woman he found something he'd always craved: warmth, compassion and a warm nurturer. She was one of those rare people who could be called a mother to all. Those matronly traits, which shone in her speech, manner and eyes, drew him to trust her. Over several cups of tea he'd done something he'd never done before, especially on such short acquaintance; he opened up and poured his heart out to her, telling her of his past without revealing exactly his part in the war. He spoke to her of his relationship with Quatre, without using his identity, and then of Duo. He knew without a doubt he'd found a real home as he saw her dab at her eyes with a linen hankey as she shed a tear for his friend unjustly sent to prison and betrayed by his friends.

Her soft, aged hands reached up and cupped his cheek. "Let me show you to your room," she said with a watery smile, as a wordless but understood agreement was made between the two of them that this would be his new home.

Within a very short time, she truly came close to being the mother he never had. She was at times his one comfort and consolation as he worked and saved every credit he could for the next two years. Early on he'd contacted several lawyers, showing them Duo's case and consulting with them as to an appeal. Each had been honest, if not kind in their answer. It would cost at least fifty-thousand credits to go to court, and without any new evidence they all assured him he'd be throwing his money away.

Seeing that an appeal was not an option, he began to research the penal colony Duo had been sent to and how paroles were granted. It seemed P.C. 4 was much like most space penal institutions, they were run efficiently by private organizations. P.C. 4 was an open-living colony in which the prisoners were given a space to live and a job in which to work to earn their keep. The space station, much smaller than a regular space colony, housed a maximum of seventy thousand people and was divided into six sections. One was for living quarters for the Corporation's employees and their families. Another level was for Administration Offices, and the other four sections were divided from each other and the rest of the colony in order to keep the varying levels of crime separate. The criminals committing petty crimes and white collar criminals were separated from those who's crimes proved to be of a more violent nature. He felt a small measure of relief that Duo's conviction fell into the category of a white collar crime. No violence or weapon has been used during his supposed criminal act. His friend should be quite safe living amongst that type of criminal than the other two levels filled with more hard-core, lifetime criminals.

Next, he studied the parol system. He realized that the corporation that ran the colony, loosely used the word "parole" in lieu of the true practice, that of ransoming their prisoners. Those fortunate few prisoners who had a sponsor show up with sufficient funds as a recompense for their stay were always set free. Those who were left and best forgotten had no recourse but to live out the rest of their sentence and were then shipped back to the colony that had convicted them.

He came to a firm decision after reading that information; he would ransom Duo when his parol came up.

Without telling the others of his plan, he began to work and save. He thought of how Quatre might have laughed at his lofty goal. The normal sum of money for a parole was listed on a file to be from fifty to one-hundred thousand credits. That would almost be pocket change for the Winner heir. But he wouldn't ask Quatre for anything, especially after his behavior in the courtroom. So he kept his intentions to himself and lived frugally and worked, sometimes taking on extra jobs in the evenings and weekends to save as much money as possible. 

Yet, even as he worked towards his goal, a great loneliness settled over his heart. After some time had passed, and his friend's tenacious insistence, he slowly allowed them back into his life, with the exception of Heero and Relena. He began to accept invitations from his estranged friends, mainly Wufei, for simple outings, like a casual dinner, a drink after work, or a movie. He saw Heero and Relena only when assigned to the palace, and he made sure that was a rare occurrence. He and the other former pilots learned quickly not to bring Duo up in their conversations other than the fact that Wufei and Quatre confessed to sending Duo regular correspondence and packages, with no reply from him that he'd received them. As far as Trowa knew, no one had taken the time nor the great expense to go and see Duo. He didn't want to spend the exorbitant amount of money it would cost to go there either as it would greatly deplete the funds he'd been saving for his friend's ransom.

Trowa reached forward to grasp the glass paperweight sitting on his desk. Quatre had given it to him, and he smiled at it even though his current thoughts were laced with bitterness. A few months after his move to Earth Quatre turned up on his doorstep, offering his heart in his hand. From that time on he had visited several days a month, and after his third visit, they'd resumed their relationship, but this time at a distance. Trowa refused to leave his job, and adamantly refused to set foot in one of Quatre's homes as long as the person/persons responsible for Duo's incarceration went un-named and unpunished. Quatre was obviously torn. He wanted to be with Trowa, but he couldn't leave his family or business on L-4. And though he would do anything for his lover, he couldn't accuse his sisters of something he had no proof of. With definite lines drawn, they had to content themselves with a long-distance relationship.

Duo continued to be a sore subject between the two. Quatre, upon Trowa's leaving him, felt guilty at the thought that maybe his friend had been set up by someone in his home, possibly even a family member, and had tried to assuage that guilt by immediately sending a large sum of money to P.C. 4 for Duo's care, with a request that he be pulled out of the prison population once a week for a medical check up.

Trowa sighed, having recognized the gesture as Quatre's way to help breach the gap between them when it came to Duo, but he shrugged, knowing things would never be the same as they were before the arrest, regardless how much they loved each other.

He looked at the expensive bobble in his hands, another gift from Quatre. Every time his rich lover came to visit him, he came with an expensive gift in hand. He knew he didn't really want or need them, but Quatre said he wanted to express his love in a tangible way, that he'd remember by having some gift or token from him long after he had gone back home.

Costly paintings for the walls of his bedroom, and outrageously priced nick-knacks, clothing and jewelry were some of the gifts he'd received. Studying the paperweight in his hand, it felt cool and heavy in his hand. He turned it over to see the light from the flourescent light above reflect through the green and blue emeralds clustered to form the letters T & Q. Quatre assured him it was insured and he knew that the cost of this piece of glass alone could probably ransom Duo, but still, Quatre made no word or gesture that he would do the honorable thing. "So it's up to me." His voice echoed through the office space empty of workers who had left an hour ago.

Standing, with a new plan formulating in his head, he put on his Preventer's jacket and put the paperweight in his pocket, knowing he would sell it and use it for Duo, who deserved Quatre's guilt price more than he did.

Within moments he stood before Lady Une's office. She normally stayed late, enjoying the quiet of the office after most of the others were gone. At his knock, her smooth voice called for him to enter. She looked up, surprised to see him as it wasn't often he went to her for any reason other than being summoned.

"I need to take some time off for a personal matter," he told her.

Her eyes studied him. "You never take time off," she said as she sat back in her chair contemplating him. "Is anything the matter?" she asked.

"No, nothing's wrong, I just need to take two weeks off," he replied while fingering the paperweight in his pocket.

She took in a deep breath and sat back in her chair, her eyes studying him as she thought. "You're gong to P.C. 4, aren't' you?" she asked.

He raised an eyebrow, surprised she'd remembered. She was another one of those people who hadn't raised a hand or voice to help Duo, and he had resented her for it as much as he had the others.

"What I do on my own time is my business," he replied evenly and with no trace of emotion.

She surprised him once again as she opened a folder on the left of the large desk she sat behind and leafed through it, then removed a sheet of paper.

"I faxed a copy of this letter to Warden of P.C. 4," she said as she held the paper out to him. "I prepared it a month ago," she went on to explain. "And faxed it two weeks ago in the event that one of you would go for him. I take it you are in this alone?"

Trowa nodded as his eyes skimmed over the words printed on the page. He looked up in surprise to his superior. The document was a recommendation, signed by her as head of the Preventers, to release Duo Maxwell as soon as he was eligible for parole. She sited his honor and courage during the war along with his contribution in saving Earth from the falling portion of Libra. She called Duo a hero, worthy of a second chance.

"Why?" he asked her.

"Because I believe he deserves another chance," she answered simply.

"No," he shook his head, frowning. "I mean why now and not when he needed it two years ago?"

For the first time in the two years he'd worked under her, Lady Une looked uncomfortable and brought her hand up to remove her glasses and rub the bridge of her nose. "I had....certain constraints on me two years ago that I don't have right now," she replied with a tone of regret in her voice.

"He was framed," he told her.

"That's not what the court decided," she countered, and Trowa couldn't help but wonder if she and Wufei followed the same book that touted "The Law is Absolute."

"Nevertheless, it's true," I said in defense of the boy who could not defend himself at the moment.

"I wish you good luck then." She stood from her chair and offered her hand. He took it, then quickly turned and left.

He returned home to gather a few of the expensive gifts Quatre had given him over the past two years. Mrs. Lunderson had known of his plans to ransom Duo and of his intention to call his former comrades to see if they were going to free Duo. She commiserated with him at their lack of help and support, but she wished him good luck, and with an affectionate hug and kiss to his cheek, she told him to bring Duo home with him, that the boy abandoned by his friends was welcomed to stay in her home as long as he wanted. The quiet young man from L-3 felt as if his emotions would overwhelm him with gratitude for her support and encouragement.

He left the next morning, with a suitcase for himself, a duffle bag of clothing he'd purchased for Duo, Une's letter of recommendation, and Quatre's gifts all bundled up. 

After a quick stop at the prestigious pawn shop from which his bank account almost doubled, he headed for the spaceport, and by early afternoon, boarded the shuttle that would take him to L-3, and from there, a smaller spacecraft would take him to Penal Colony Four, and to Duo.

TBC


	2. Web 2

Web of Betrayal

By: Dyna Dee

Part 2, Betrayed by Design

Warnings: Yaoi, angst.

Twelve hours later, Trowa found himself in a receiving office of Penal Colony Four glaring at a man behind a desk. With his hands resting on the desk, he leaned well over the desk top, his eyes narrowed as they bore angrily into the startled face on the other side. "What the hell do you mean he's in Level Hard Four. What does that mean?" he asked in a deadly tone.

Unused to this type of reaction, the guard looked at the enraged officer in the Preventer's uniform with alarm. Only moments before the Earth enforcer had calmly entered the room and politely stated his business was to parole a prisoner. When he'd typed in the name of the prisoner the officer had given him, a picture of a young man, looking more like a teenage boy, popped up and his status and location were listed next to his tracking numbers. The security officer had wondered out loud what a kid had to do to be put in with the worst of mankind on Level Hard Four.

"Hard Four is the maximum security part of the prison," he answered the Preventer nervously. He had his hand resting on the emergency button under his desk in case the man before him went ballistic. 

"He's suppose to have served his time in the minimum security levels, being convicted of theft without a weapon or violence," Trowa told him angrily.

The guards eyes turned from the deadly looking green ones back to the computer screen and studied it for more information. "Well," he began. "All I can see is that he was placed in Hard Four by the Warden on 07 May, 199."

"That was a week after he arrived here," Trowa replied to the information with a deep frown and strained to see the screen. "What else does it say? He's alright, isn't he?"

The guard visibly swallowed in nervousness. "Yes," he answered tentatively. "All prisoners have a life transmitter embedded into their spinal cord. His status here is listed as..." He visibly swallowed with difficulty before adding the final word, "...failing."

"Failing?" Trowa felt his heart drop into his stomach. "How so?" he demanded.

"Well, not all the information is here, but there is a standing order that he's to be pulled out every Sunday, given any medical attention if necessary and then released back into Hard Four. His status for several months now has been listed as guarded, meaning that his health is steadily failing."

"Who do I see about his parole?" Trowa asked firmly, keeping the sense of panic he was feeling from out of his voice as he straightened and shouldered the duffel bags again. The guard, happy to have something to do other than receive the other man's questions and glare, turned back to the computer and began typing as the Preventer picked up his badge from off of his desk.

"Harrison." The uniformed man behind the desk called out to someone behind him. A younger man stood from a desk about twenty feet away and came to the other guard's side. "Mr. Harrison will take you to the Warden's Office." Trowa's eyes were directed to the younger man as the other continued. "I've informed the Warden's Office of your eminent arrival," he told him.

Trowa nodded, shouldering his and Duo's bags, and then followed the guard charged with taking him to meet the Warden.

Six heavy security doors later, he entered a large, well decorated reception area. A female secretary behind a desk smiled in welcome at the serious looking young man looking very handsome in his Preventers's uniform.

"I'm here to see the Warden concerning parole for a prisoner," he announced his intentions to her, carefully holding in his anger.

"Your name and ID?" she requested even as she continued to smile and speak pleasantly to him.

"Trowa Barton," he replied and pulled out his Preventer's badge.

"If you'll have a seat, I'll see if I can arrange a meeting."

"Listen," Trowa leaned over her desk to give her a piercing look. "I'm tired and have spent the last twelve hours traveling here from Earth. I've just found out my friend was sent to the wrong prison level on his arrival here two years ago, and his health status is reported as failing. I want to see the Warden immediately, and I want my friend out of here now!" Though he kept his voice low, there was a definite threat in the tone that had both the woman and the guard that had brought him there were startled by.

"I...If you would just have a seat...for a moment," she said nervously as she pointed to the dark blue leather couch to her right.

"Now," he repeated even as he followed her direction and moved to the couch.

To her credit, the woman in her mid thirties, looking very professional dressed in a grey business suit with her brown hair pulled up into a french twist, turned to type on the keyboard set up to the right of her desk.

"The prisoners name?" she asked.

"Duo Maxwell," he answered.

She began typing and after staring at her screen for several minutes, she rose and walked over to a door to her left. Punching in a code to the pad next to the door, there was a click of a lock pulling back and she opened the door and entered the room, the light automatically coming on at her entrance. Through the door he could see her typing something on another computer system, and a hum reverberated through the room as a hidden, mechanical filing system brought around the requested hard file.

When the hum stopped, she reached forward and pulled a manilla folder out of the slot and quickly shut down the system, left the room, then pushed the door shut behind her.

With a calm stride, she approached the large door behind her desk and knocked. A barely audible sound came from behind the door, and in response to it, she turned the door knob and entered the room.

Three minutes following that, she returned and asked the Preventer to follow her, her pleasant business smile back on her face. He stood, picked up the two duffle bags, and followed.

The first thing he noticed when he entered the executive office was the large massive desk that would rival evan Quatre's in his office on L-4. Behind it sat a man in his fifties in a suit and tie looking very comfortable and confident in his position as the person with the first and last word about everything that went on is the penal colony.

The warden stood from his chair behind his desk and extended his hand in greeting, and the man's easy manner in his greeting gave the Preventer the impression that he was use to manipulating people and situations in order to achieve his goal or agenda. He'd recognized these types of people after dealing with a great many of them when he'd work with Quatre at his corporate offices.

Taking the man's hand in his own firm clasp, he felt the other's strong, assured grip as well as giving a returning firm shake. 

"Preventer Barton, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Willam Harding," he introduced himself. Their hands dropped and the warden motioned for the younger man to sit in the chair in front of his desk. "I understand you're here to parole Mr. Maxwell," he began as they sat down and the warden opened the folder before him.

"If you don't mind," Trowa spoke up and the older man looked up curiously. "I'd like to know how an eighteen year old who was convicted for a non-violent crime ended up in Hard Four with the worst criminals in the colonies?"

The warden sat back in his high-back, dark brown leather executive chair and eyed the other speculatively. "The assignment of a prisoner at this penal colony is at the discretion of the Warden," he replied cooly.

Trowa's eyes narrowed with increased dislike and animosity for this stuffed-shirt prick.

The warden picked up a loose paper from the top of the open folder. "I took notes as to the reason for my decision," he continued, ignoring the baleful glare directed towards him. "I listed my reason as being his background stating a history of violence and criminal activity, as well as the recommendation of people who are close acquaintances of the prisoner that he be given no special treatment.

Trowa felt his blood start to boil. Heaven help those "acquaintances" he thought darkly.

"Who did these recommendation come from?" he asked sharply, losing some of his facade of composure. "And if memory serves me correctly, he was convicted of theft, not his past. How the hell did you learn anything about his past, our records are sealed?"

At his words, the Warden's eyes widened in realization, and from that slight action Trowa knew the man was somehow fully aware of Duo's past, that he had been the pilot of a gundam, and that he was now dealing with another, and a pissed off one at that. Trowa acknowledged to himself that at least the man displayed some sense as he began to look frightened, which is why he probably began to spill some information.

"It....it came with the court records, attached to a letter from Vice Minister Peacecraft Yuy and signed by herself and her husband," he rushed to explain in a slightly anxious tone of voice.

A moment before Trowa had felt ripping mad, but now it seemed his blood had turned to ice. Betrayed, he thought silently to himself. How many of us have betrayed our comrade and friend? he wondered and felt physically and mentally sick at the thought.

Warden Harding obviously sensed the young man's change of mood and hastily shoved the folder across the top of the desk towards him. "Have a look for yourself," he almost timidly invited the other. Trowa guessed he finally figured it wasn't a good thing to anger a former gundam pilot.

For the next ten minutes the room stayed silent except for the sound of paper being turned over as Trowa went over the majority of the documents in Duo's file. With dismay, his eyes scanned a page with the letterhead titled Preventers, Sealed Record, and subtitled, Investigation of Gundam Pilot 02, Duo Maxwell. The report contained a list of Duo's petty crimes as a homeless child on L-2, along with a police report of suspicions regarding Duo's part in the destruction of the Maxwell Church Orphanage.

His eyes widened as he scanned a group of attached papers stating the fact that Duo was the pilot of the notorious gundam Deathscythe and Deathscythe Hell. The report was also quite thorough as it listed all the destruction and deaths attributed to him and his gundam during the war. Directly behind the damning paper was another piece of paper attached to it, it was also on letterhead from the office of the Vice Foreign Minister. It was a politely worded letter to the judge presiding over Duo's case that could only have been dictated by Relena. She wrote, alluding to the crimes listed on the document compiled by the Preventers after the war, and declared that Duo Maxwell should be considered to be a danger to society. She referred to him as a habitual criminal with little chance of reforming. She respectfully urged the court to see that he be given no special treatment and that his list of crimes persuade them as to how they should deal with a very dangerous criminal.

Trowa's eyes widened as he recognized not only Relena's signature at the bottom of the page, but the name of her well-known husband beneath it, Heero Yuy.

With hands unsteady by his mounting anger, he turned to find another letter written on the letterhead of Winner Industries. Quatre's eldest sister had written a letter in the same tone as Relena. Rennanda Winner asked for the judge to remove the L-2 criminal from off of L-4, thereby taking away the negative influence of said Duo Maxwell, who hovered over her kind-hearted but susceptible brother.

Turning the pages under it, he saw a letter from Howard stating his affection for the "kid" and that in all the time he'd been with the Sweepers, Duo had been honest and helpful. He hoped the judge was lenient as he didn't believe for a moment that Duo would steal from a friend. The kind words helped Trowa pull himself together, at least Duo hadn't been betrayed by all of his friends.

Under Howard's more positive letter, he found a carefully worded letter from Quatre on his personal stationary. He stated that funds amounting to fifty thousand credits was being sent for Duo Maxwell to access at any time he required anything. He asked that the funds be used in part to have the prisoner checked on once a week by a doctor, and that any need he had would be met at that time.

Trowa closed his eyes for a moment. At least Quatre made a sincere gesture of good will, though there were no words of praise of, or mercy for his friend added to the request.

A short letter by Duo's employer stated he was a good, honest employee and Hilde's letter rambled on like a love letter. It was clear to him that the top two letters were the ones that had decided Duo's fate, the others had been weighed against them, found lacking, and were dismissed.

"You judged him for his alleged past." The younger man looked up at the warden and glared disapproving at him.

Under the dark gaze, the warden nervously brushed hack his hort black hair that was white at the temples. "It's the job of a Warden to weigh the evidence. All I had to go on was what you see: the judges decision, the letters of recommendation, and my interview with Mr. Maxwell several days after his arrival," he told him, then added. "And believe me, Mr. Maxwell was anything by pleasant."

"How can you blame him?" Trowa raised his voice in anger. "He was barely eighteen year's old, framed for a crime he didn't commit, and clearly betrayed by his best friends.

"That's not what I was presented with," the older man countered defensively. "The conviction, coupled with his war record, and faced with a young man who looked like he wanted to tear apart the colony piece by piece, left me with that facts that he was too violent to be placed with minimum security prisoners. His actions and his past were the driving force in my decision to have Mr. Maxwell placed in the Maximum security level."

"How much?" Trowa demanded, not wanting to be anywhere in the vicinity of this man any longer.

The warden knew exactly what he meant and pulling the file back to the position in front of him, he removed a paper attached to the front cover of the folder. "The accounting office has listed the prisoner's parole fee at fifty thousand dollars," he said in a business tone.

"Fifty thousand!" Trowa managed to sound outraged. It wasn't that he wasn't expecting it or didn't have the credits, hell, he'd gotten that much from Quatre's painting alone, but he'd been lead to believe that the "ransoms" could be reduced with a little negotiating. That would leave more money available to help Duo start over again.

"Look Warden," he paused to study the gold plated name plate sitting on the desk front, giving the man the impression that he wasn't important enough for the Preventer to remember his name. "Harding." he looked up at the man. "I'll pay the fifty thousand just to get him out of here. But let me warn you, I'm going to go back to Earth and raise hell about the false accusations against him and start an investigation as to how a sealed document was sent, not only to influence a judge in pronouncing a harsh sentence in a white-collar crime, but then it was forwarded to you where it was used against him once again. Not only was the document obtained illegally, but yours and the judges use of it to prejudice yourselves against my friend is also questionable and I'm sure, as far as the law is concerned, unethical."

He stood and leaned over the desk to have an extra threatening effect on the now nervous man pressed back into his chair looking properly intimidated. "If I find he's suffered at all because of your decision to send him to Hard Four, then may heaven help you, for your job will be a thing of the past, but you won't care much about that because, by God, I'll have you hung upside down by your balls. The majority of people in the colonies and earth who look at the gundam pilots as heroes. You have definitely messed with the wrong group of people. If I were to leak out my friend's name and how he has been treated, a vigilante group would no doubt be looking for your job and your head!"

The man who radiated confidence moments earlier now looked appropriately frightened, all the color had drained from his face. "Now Preventer Barton, let's be civil and reasonable. No one goes into hard time and comes out unscathed," he said as a preparatory warning.

Trowa could hear his own breath coming out from his nostrils loudly, sounding much like the cartoons Duo use to watch when an outraged animated bull was readying itself to charge. "What's happened to him?" he asked in a deadly voice.

The warden motioned his hand towards the file. "On the left side of the folder, underneath the top accounting sheet are reports from the infirmary and periodic reports from the guards in his section."

The warden quickly hit the intercom button as the Preventer moved his hand to take up the folder again.

"Marie, send Davis in," he ordered looking tense.

Trowa lifted the top sheet and his worst nightmares seemed to unfold before his eyes. Reports stemming from the present back two years detailed the weekend visits to the infirmary. Duo had been treated for seven breaks to his arms, six to his legs, broken ribs, bruised kidneys, numerous stitches, and worst of all, several documented rapes.

A large burly guard entered the office unannounced and came to stand by the fidgeting warden. A quick glance at the man was all the Preventer afforded the interruption, and then returned his attention to the file. His attention went from the medical reports to the notes from the prison guards who pulled Duo out every Sunday for his examination. The reports were short and concise statements on prisoner Maxwell's behavior and the state they found him in each week. The more recent notes bore the tone of pleading for the warden to intervene on the prisoners behalf as he was failing to thrive and his life was in danger due to apparent mental and physical duress. Trowa used every ounce of will power to not jump over the desk and break the business man/warden's neck for ignoring the recommendations of the guards.

Fifteen minutes later he had finished reading the entire file, including the financial reports. The fifty thousand credits Quatre had supplied for Duo was depleted by only ten thousand credits, and those were itemized as medical costs and clothing. It seemed Duo had not once asked for anything but clothing and extra blankets. 

Closing the folder with a strong sense of finality in his movement, he tucked it under his arm and looked up at the warden. "As an officer of the Preventer's, and in the authority given to me as such, I'm confiscating this file as possible evidence of a conspiracy against Mr. Maxwell." he informed him in a bisque tone. "I'm also concerned about your apparent neglect of a prisoner and failure to intervene after the guards and medical reports all but pleaded with you on his behalf due to his failing mental and physical health. For the record, I'd like to know your reasons."

The warden's chin jutted out in a look of defiance. "I don't have to justify my actions to you," he answered sharply. "My actions are justified by Mr. Maxwell's criminal past."

Trowa's anger was about to spill over his facade of being cool and reserved. However, arguing with this corporate executive would not get Duo out any sooner, and from the reports he'd read, five minutes longer in Hard Four would be five minutes too long, and killing the warden at that moment wouldn't help his friend at all.

"I see there is still forty thousand credits left in the account Mr. Winner deposited for the prisoner's needs." He changed the subject, intent on ending the meeting.

The warden nodded calmly, once again all business, which infuriated the younger man even more. He neglected the reports on Duo's well being, but knew the all important bottom line.

"I suggest you keep those funds as my friend's ransom and hand him over to me this instant."

"That is ten thousand short of what the corporation estimates is necessary for his release."

"Believe me Warden, by the time I've finished with this matter, your corporation is going to be standing with its pockets hanging out empty. Consider yourself lucky you got forty thousand."

With a slight trembling of his hand as he straightened his tie, the only sign the Preventer had gotten to the Buck-Stops-Here man, the Warden turned to the burly guard. "Take him to section H-4, 10," he instructed. "I'll call ahead to the Port of Departure to ensure his papers are readied for his removal from the colony.

Trowa nodded with a stern look on his face, then turned without another word to follow the guard out of the luxury office.

TBC


	3. Web 3

Web of Betrayal

Part 3

Betrayal Visualized

Dyna Dee

Warnings and Disclaimers on first page of this story

Trowa was led to a transit car that was affixed to a small metal track. The guard let him enter vehicle first, then followed and operated the small battery operated car. Going approximately ten m.p.h., the silent, tense journey lasted a long ten minutes until the small tram was parked outside the large metal doors boldly marked H-4, section 8-12. In silence he followed the larger man to the large metal security door and watched him key in some numbers behind a partially hidden keypad next to the door, then leaned forward to peer into a retinal scan. The large metal doors slowly pulled apart. 

Behind the door was a metal corridor painted tan and brown with a sign indicating which direction to follow. Section ten was to the right. They walked about one hundred fifty feet and approached another door, smaller but similar to the one they'd just passed through. A metal sign on the door stated their location as H-4, 10.

Davis, the guard, again followed the same security procedures as before, but this time he swiped a magnetic key card after the retinal scan and, once again, the door responded.

Following him in, Trowa tried to appear calm while his stomach promised a revolt

at the anxiety he felt as they entered into an office with beige painted walls with the flourescent lights overhead that seemed to shine overly bright. Several men stood behind a tall desk where work cubicles were placed against the back wall with several more doors between them.

A young man, possibly in his mid twenties and dressed in a guard's uniform of khaki green pants, white shirt, black tie and a light green jacket, looked up from a monitor to greet them. Trowa was surprised to see the younger guard's face bore a smile and he had an open manner about him. "Davis." He greeted the escort in a pleasant voice and a nod, smile still present.

"Jacobs." The other guard spoke his first words in the Preventer's presence. He turned aside to Trowa. "This is Preventer Barton and he is here to parole prisoner...." He took a paper out of his pocket and read the numbers. "H020789."

The younger man responded to the numbers immediately as he gasped, his eyes widening slightly in surprise. Without explanation he turned and moved quickly to the door behind him and opened it. With excitement in his voice he called out, "Gary, someone's come to parole the kid."

The sound of several chairs moving back was heard as well as the rushing of feet. Two uniformed men bounded out the door to look at the person in question. One of the men was older, maybe in his fifties, another in his early forties. Both looked surprised and excited. 

"You've come for the kid?" the older man asked Trowa.

"I'm here for Duo Maxwell," he replied, surprised himself at the guards response.

"Thank God!" the other man whispered, looking relieved and exchanged that look with his co-workers.

The older man approached him, taking in the Preventer uniform, his age, and air of authority. "Are you here as a law enforcement official." he asked, some of his enthusiasm dimming visibly as he approached.

"I came here first and foremost as his friend," he answered honestly. "But I've been put into an official position as it has become apparent that my friend's incarceration seems questionable, especially his placement in this section of the prison."

The man surprised him again by smiling with relief. "I'm glad," he replied, then his look sobered. "He's going to need a friend after what he's been through." He then turned to the younger man who had greeted them previously. "Seth, get the tracker." he instructed the first man they'd met in this section. The young guard nodded and quickly left the room.

"Each prisoner has a chip embedded into his neck." He pointed to the back of his neck. "It reports the prisoner's whereabouts as well as his life signs. We've pulled the kid in quite a few times when his medical signs became erratic."

Trowa closed his eyes, each new word he'd heard about Duo became a more grim picture of the last two years of his life. 

"I wasn't stationed in this section when he first came to section ten," the guard continued in a sympathetic voice. "But even in the time I've been here I've seen he's been greatly affected by his stay here."

The former soldier realized his mask must have slipped and the worry and apprehension he felt must have been visible for the guard to be speaking in such a gentled tone to him.

"I tell you this so you can prepare yourself. He's pretty bad off," he said sadly as he continued. "The guys and I have done all we could with the constraints that bind us, but even so, I'm sure he's not the person you knew before he was sent here."

As much as he wanted to question the older guard about the exact condition of his friend, but he held his tongue, feeling such an overwhelming sense of desperation to get Duo out of there and off this colony seemed more important at the moment than the delay in time his questions would cause.

While the two men reached into a cabinet under the desk and retrieve some items, the young guard, Seth Jacobs, reappeared with a small, grey rectangle box that was labeled in bold white lettering, "Chip Tracker". He stopped and started keying in numbers Trowa assumed were Duo's ID numbers.

"We'll be back shortly," the older man said as he donned a gun-like weapon and put on an odd looking hat. The other man he'd come out of the room with followed his example.

"I'm coming with you," Trowa said, shocking the two enough that they stopped their movements to look up at him with expressions of "Are you crazy?" on their faces.

"That's not necessary," the older guard said. Trowa looked at his name tag stating he was Gary Sanders.

"I think it is," he replied. "My friend was sent to this section under false charges and background information that should never have been considered. I need to see what conditions he's been living under in case I'm called to testify."

Sanders looked shocked, but his mouth slowly curved upward. "It's about time," he mumbled. Then with a look of acceptance, he nodded. "Very well," he agreed. "Give your personal belongings to Seth to hold, and I'll get you suited up."

Five minutes later, the two duffle bags and the newly acquired documents were in the honest-looking, young man's care along with his wallet and Preventer's badge. Armed with a stun rifle and the hat which emitted a personal shield for protection surrounding his body against possible attacks by the prisoners, the two guards and one Preventer were ready to enter the section ten.

"Stay close," Sander's waned as Jacobs released the door into the corridor leading to section H-4, 10. Several security doors later, Trowa found himself standing in what appeared to be a small city. Building's that were single story with flat roof lines, were built close together and placed in sections much like city blocks. Men dressed in regular street clothes were moving freely about the sidewalks and small, manned maintenance carts moved down wide walking paths that separated the blocks that could be considered streets. All eyes turned toward the three, filled with a mixture of curiosity, hate, and animosity.

Sanders looked down at the scanner. "We're in luck today," he said. "The kid isn't too far away this time."

Trowa followed along between the two, the guard behind him was busy scanning the rear, and Trowa had an opportunity to notice his name tag labeled R. Scott.

"You see," Sanders spoke as he led then down another street. "The prison is set up in such a way that the prisoners govern themselves, within limits. They are not allowed to kill or harm another prisoner. Such actions remove any chance of parole and an extension in their time, plus their purchases from the prison store doubles in price. It's a big deal to these men who have few comforts. There's also a definite hierarchy. Here in hard time, the longer your sentence is, the more chance of have of reaching the higher ranks of this society.

R. Scott chose that moment to speak up. "The kid never had a chance," he said despondently. 

"Why's that?" Trowa asked.

"His age, crime, size, and good looks," he answered. "And on top of that he had only two years to parole. Most of these animals are twenty to life."

Sanders nodded his head in agreement and spoke regretfully. "Now that we're out of Davis's hearing," he looked back at the Preventer pointedly. "It was a crime to send that kid here, just as much as it would be to send a ten year old kid into a locked room of child molesters. I hope you can get the bastards who sent him here," he added vehemently. "I don't care what the kid did, he didn't do anything worth the hell he's been through here."

"Does he blame anyone in particular for his being here?" Trowa asked, wondering if Duo would hate all of them, even himself for not doing more to save him from this nightmare.

Sanders and Scott both stopped to look at him. The older guard took a deep breath and let it out slowly, obviously searching for words to something he knew he wouldn't like hearing.

"After the third time he was pulled in for his medical check, his vital signs showing trauma," Sanders began in a solemn tone. "The doctors and guards stationed here at the time stated that he had been treated for another brutal attack, and that he had stopped speaking. He hasn't spoken a word since."

Trowa's heart clenched within his chest, and his stomach churned with bitter acid, but somehow, he still managed to keep his feet moving in order to follow as the older man led him into a narrow alley between two buildings, still checking his scanner.

"When I first came to this section," he continued. "I was appalled the first few times I had to retrieve the kid. He looked wild and unkept, and the smell...," He shook his head. "I couldn't believe a person in an institution could be left in such a condition. I went back and reviewed his records. The boys mistreatment happened mainly in the first few weeks of his incarceration it seems, and it tapered off as he came upon a way to protect himself."

The man in front of him stopped and turned to look the Preventer in the eye to explain further. "He made himself as repugnant as possible, to repel any interest the other prisoners might have in him."

"How?" Trowa was afraid to ask, realizing the guard was working up to the point of actually describing his friend.

"He began to smear excrements on his body. Feces, urine, vomit.....whatever he could find or produce himself he spread on his body. Now I know that sounds pretty repugnant," Sanders responded to the look of revulsion on the Preventer's face. "But it worked. The rapes seemed to completely stop. He was in the most danger when we hauled him in weekly and cleaned him up, fed him, and dressed his wounds. A couple of times he was jumped as we released him, clean and tidy, so we began to hold him in the medical unit until the dark cycle came round, and led him out under the cover of darkness to a place of relative safety."

The older man turned again, studying the grey box and began to move forward. "The guys and I tried to see he had some clothing and food with him. He wasn't able to work in the factories or other jobs as he was always targeted and hurt when he tried. The same with the housing he was assigned. So for these two years he's been living in the shadows, hiding from friend and foe alike in his silence."

The heaviness in Trowa's heart felt like lead as he fought back tears he rarely ever shed. We failed him so completely, he thought in despair. I don't know how he'll ever forgive us or even be the same vibrant light he's always been to us. With these dark thoughts kept to himself, they rounded a corner into another long alleyway. A dumpster sat in the middle of the long lane with cardboard and scraps of litter surrounding it.

"Here," Saunders said, turning off the tracker and putting it in his pocket. He then pointed to the half collapsed box resting against the building. Moving forward, he knelt down on one knee and lifted the upper edge. "Key kiddo, it's me, Gary." He spoke gently and Trowa was grateful that at least someone had apparently been kind and compassionate to the young prisoner.

"Come on out kid, I've got a friend of yours here that wants to take you out of here. Are you ready to go home?"

Sanders brought his hand up to cover his nose, indicating an unpleasant smell was coming from the dirty box.

No movement was made to indicate that someone was truly inside and could hear them. Sanders handed his stun rifle to R. Scott, and with a touch to the under brim of his hat, he powered down his personal shield. Leaning down, he peered deeper into the box and reached his hand in and began to search.

Suddenly, activity sprung within the confines of the box. The other two standing behind Sanders stood ready to assist if he needed them.

Sanders arm jerked back and forth within the box as a slight struggle of resistance was put up, but finally the guard made some progress and, as his hand withdrew from the box, it was with a grimy bare foot in his grip.

"Come on, Kiddo. Time to get cleaned up for good this time," Sanders said in a reassuring voice. The struggle ceased, and using both hands to firmly grasp his catch, the older guard pulled the prisoner out.

Trowa smelled him before his eyes fell on the boy he hadn't seen in two years. It was the smell similar to that of a sewer. Slowly out of the box came two thin and barely kicking bare legs covered in grime and dried feces. As Sanders pulled his body out further, he saw Duo wore only the tattered remains of his boxers and a very large, long sleeved t-shirt.

"Hey kiddo, I've got a nice hot shower and some food waiting for you, just like always." The guard continued to talk in a soft, soothing tone to the frightened prisoner.

The struggle stopped as it seemed the young man recognized the voice and the promise of a bath. As his small body was revealed and pulled completely out, Trowa failed to recognize the boy he'd known as the Deathscythe pilot. His once long, beautiful hair that he'd taken such pride in had obviously been hacked off. Now his dull, dirty, and lifeless hair fell in a wild, matted disarray around his head, face, and shoulders. The once bright and vibrant violet-hued eyes that had no equal, were dull and sparked only with apprehension. The beautiful heart-shaped face and mischievous smile had been replaced with a frown of worry on a dirty and gaunt face that looked like it had never had a reason to smile.

Despite the horrendous odor that acted as a shield for the boy, Trowa released his force shield and fell to his knees next to him, causing Duo to shrink away in fear.

"Oh God, Duo," he whispered, horrified at the transformed person in front of him. He reached out to brush a filthy piece of hair away from his friend's cracked lips, even as the creature before him flinched. "It's me, Duo. Trowa. Do you remember me?" A hint of desperation was in his voice.

Dull eyes watched him warily, then turned to Sanders, obviously trusting the man more than the person in front of him.

"He's your friend," the older guard told him gently. He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a pair of plastic gloves and put them on. Trowa noticed R. Scott did this also. "His name is Trowa Barton, and he's come to take you out of here. Do you understand, kiddo?" he asked, his eyes filed with compassion for the sorry looking person laying on his side, still on the ground in front of them.

The large eyes slowly returned to Trowa and studied every detail of his person for a moment as Duo slowly eased himself up into a sitting position.

"I've come to take you home with me, Duo." He forced himself to smile, even as he felt a tear coursing down his cheeks. "Will you come to Earth with me?" he asked. 

With grubby hands, Duo swept the messy hair away from his face and eyes, and suddenly, a spark of recognition lit on his face. /Trowa?/ his lips silently formed the others name, his face gave form to the word as a question.

"Yes Duo, Trowa." The Preventer smiled in reassurance as the moisture in his eyes began to spill over. Then suddenly he had an armful of Duo Maxwell. He was a mess and smelled worse then almost anything Trowa could have imagined, but he wrapped his arms around the slight form and clung to him nevertheless, feeling his friend's frail body trembling with emotion, expressing what his voice couldn't. Relief and redemption.

"Here." Saunders knelt next to the two of them, his arms out. "I'll carry him back."

Trowa looked up and could see that neither guard was unaffected by the scene of the two friends reunited, their eyes were also filled with suspicious moisture.

Duo's arms wrapped more firmly around him at the words, letting him know he didn't want to be removed from the safety of his arms.

Trowa held him tightly in return. "Its okay, Duo. I'll never let anyone ever hurt you again," he whispered into Duo's ear the promise to his friend and to himself as well.

"I'll carry him," he told the guard, and with the other man's help he managed to stand with his armful. Once standing, Duo shifted his position and brought his boney legs up to wrap them around his tall friend's hips, his arms still crossed tightly behind his neck in a hold that demonstrated that he would rather die than let go. Following the older man and R. Scott taking the area behind them, the four made their way back out of the alleyway. The news of their presence seemed to have spread as other prisoners gathered to watch their progress. Trowa held Duo's trembling body against him as the vilest of criminals in all the colonies jeered and cat-called to him, causing the three to wisely quicken their steps toward safety.

Trowa whispered reassurances to his friend in order to distract him from the taunts aimed at him. "It's okay, Duo. I've got you. They'll never, ever hurt you agin, I swear it," he told him in a confident voice. 

It seemed a much longer walk back, but they finally reached the door they'd exited from and went directly to the infirmary.

Standing in the center of the sterile and antiseptic-smelling room with Duo's frail and filthy body clinging to him, Trowa waited for instructions from the guards as he was at a complete loss as to what he should do next.

With Sander's help, it took roughly five minutes for the two of them to talk Duo into letting go his death grip enough for the two guards to pry him off the Preventer's body. As they held Duo away from him, Trowa was once again confronted with his good friend's despicable condition as the overly large, blue/violet eyes pleaded with him to......save him.

"Shower," Sanders announced and pointed to a door to the right.

"I brought clothes for him, but left it at the front desk with Jacobs," Trowa told the older guard, even as he watched as Duo tried to lunge out of the other's arms. Sander's firm grip around the incredibly thin waist held Duo a good foot away from his target, and his actions all but broke Trowa's heart as two thin arms reached out in his direction, seeking security and comfort. He resisted the urge to give Duo what he wanted, knowing it was imperative that they get him cleaned up in order to take him away from his living nightmare.

"Rand." Sanders called out to the other guard and Trowa now knew what the R on his name tag stood for. "Have Preventer Barton's bags sent here and send for the doctor to see to the kid."

Sanders then began to move towards the door where he indicated earlier the shower was to be found. Duo suddenly went limp, a dead weight in the older man's arms. "Get the door will ya?" he asked Trowa.

The auburn haired young man hesitated, a look of concern on his face as he gazed at his friend.

"Oh, this is what he does every week," Sanders replied in a dismissive tone to the look. "I think he really enjoys the shower, but he needs to protest it as it takes away his defenses. Doesn't it kid?" He spoke in an affectionate manner to the smelly boy. "Passive aggression." Sanders smiled up at the other.

Trowa opened the door to reveal a bathroom complete with a toilet, and a shower stall and sink. He moved to turn on the water and put a hand under the stream until it reached the desired temperature. When he turned back around, Duo had been efficiently stripped of his ill-fitting clothing and Sanders was putting the foul smelling garments into the garbage can.

Looking at the fairly emaciated body with streaks of brown matter dried on it, a thought came to him. "Do you have an evidence camera?"

"Sure." Sanders answered with a questioning look.

"I want to document his condition for evidence and possible legal recourse."

The guard nodded and moved towards Duo. With both hands on the naked boy's shoulders, he guided him over to the toilet and sat him down on it. He went to the sink, removed his latex gloves, and washed his hands before moved towards the door. "Be right back," he said upon exiting.

The quiet in the restroom was intense for the few moments Sanders was gone. He felt uncomfortable left alone in the room with his friend naked and sitting on the throne, staring down at the floor. To ease that feeling of discomfort, he followed Sanders example and moved to the sink to thoroughly wash his hands. He then looked down at his clothing and knew they would have to be changed also before he boarded a shuttle, or he would quickly find himself kicked off.

Sanders quickly returned and handed the camera to him, then went to Duo and took up a handful of toilet paper and handed it to him. When Duo was finished tending to himself, he stood and Sanders flushed the toilet. Trowa placed the docile prisoner against the wall and took pictures of his dirty, emaciated body and the dead look in his eyes. He noticed that Duo held his left arm close to his body as if it was hurt and his right leg was not completely straight. He took pictures of those obviously damaged appendages.

"He goes through a shirt a week." Sanders began speaking, and he guessed it was to break up the awkward silence even as the other man pushed Duo towards the shower.

Trowa moved quickly to hold open the shower door and watched as the Sanders literally pushed the dirty prisoner into the direct spray of warm water.

"Don't let him out," he firmly instructed Trowa as he moved to the cabinet under the sink.

He nodded and turned to see his friend had moved into the corner as far away from the stream of water as possible and crouched down on his heels.

Sanders returned with a bar of soap, a wash cloth and shampoo. He leaned over and placed all three items next to the unmoving boy. "Come on Kiddo, you know the routine." Sanders spoke in a friendly, but authoritative tone to Duo. "Don't make me get my clothes wet today, okay?"

Slowly, Duo's hands moved to take hold of the soap and wash cloth and he began to cleanse himself.

"He's fine now," Sanders assured Trowa as he closed the door. "Regulations state someone has to be in the room with him at all times," he continued. "If you'll stay here, I'll get some food for him while he's busy here. I usually let him have twenty minutes, and the doctor ought to be here by then."

"Alright." Trowa agreed and moved to take the one chair in the room, noticing it was bolted to the floor as a safety precaution.

Sanders moved back to the door and pointed to the sink cabinet. "There are towels in there," he directed, then suddenly stopped and looked directly into the Preventer's eyes as if trying to judge his worth. "I'm glad you came, for his sake," he said in all seriousness, then turned and left the room.

"Me too," Trowa whispered in reply, his eyes straying back to the blurred figure behind the frosted glass door. Duo was now crouched under the spray of the water, His hands were up in his tangle of hair, obviously shampooing it. He leaned back against the chair and let his head tilt back to rest against the wall. This was not at all what he'd expected. He had anticipated finding his friend somewhat angry, vindictive, hurt, or belligerent. But never in his worst imaginings did had envisioned a frightened, cowered, and silent Duo, hurt beyond reasoning. He took in a deep, shaky breath and knew he would have to alter some of his plans in order to care for Duo. Mrs. Lunderson said he could bring Duo back home with him on his return. Over the last two years he had spoken often to the elderly woman about his friend, and she had said several times that she felt she knew him from their many conversations. She had been kindness itself to him, but didn't know if it was fair to bring his traumatized friend into her home.

He sighed as the sound of water splashing on the walls of the shower continued to fill the background noise in the room. He could go to Catherine with Duo, but sensed that his friend wasn't quite ready to be around so many strangers and constant travel. There was always Quatre, but his mind immediately dismissed that option. He knew he loved the blond Arabian, heart and soul, but vowed to never allow himself or Duo to enter his homes again, or be put into a position of being set up like Duo was two years ago. Never again, he vowed. At least not until they found out who the real guilty party was.

Home. His mind conjured up the picture of Mrs. Lunderson's house with it's back yard filled with shrubs and flower beds. It was a peaceful haven in which he had spent many a contented hours embraced by the peace he'd unexpectedly found there. His aging landlady had become somewhat of a surrogate mother to him, even causing Quatre, Wufei, and Catherine to voice their envy over her gently, unobtrusive care for him. He knew that he'd chosen well when he'd agreed to her invitation to board with her. Now, with luck and kindness, that same care and peace would be transferred to Duo. Mrs Lunderson's maternal nature would surely help his friend to heal from his horrible ordeal. 

The sudden opening of the bathroom door caused his musings to come to an abrupt halt. Sanders came into the room announcing, "Time's up."

Looking back at the shower, he could see Duo's form collapse in a ball, back into the corner of the shower stall.

The older guard went to the cabinet and took out several towels, then moved to lay one on the floor next to the shower door. He handed Trowa the remaining folded towel.

"Now comes the hard part," he warned. "The kid is clean now, but he feels unprotected and vulnerable. I always have a struggle getting him out to be examined."

Rolling up his uniform's long sleeves, Sanders opened the shower door and immediately shut off the water. "Come on kid, the doctor's here and so is a tray of hot food," he cajoled softly. "You know we won't hurt you, and your friend is going to take you out of here, right Mr. Barton?" he asked without taking his eyes off of the small, wet figure in the corner. 

"That's right." He'd picked up on what Sanders was doing, talking to distract and comfort Duo. "We need to do this in order to get on the shuttle for Earth," he told the shivering ball of skin and bones. "Come on, Duo. I have a nice, quiet place for us to live. It's not showy, but my landlady is kind and said she looks forward to meeting you. I'm sure you'll like her."

Duo's trembling eased noticeably, and his head tilted as if to signal he was listening, so Trowa continued speaking as Sanders reached for him.

"It's a house I've lived in for two years," he continued. "Mrs. Lunderson is like a grandmother, white hair and all. She is a wonderful cook and gardener. You'll love her garden, Duo, flowers are always in boom, and there's a wooden swing you can sit in and listen to the birds singing from the trees that surround the yard and the crickets chirp and frogs croak as the sun sets."

Sanders literally pulled Duo's unprotesting yet limp body up as the Preventer readied the towel, and he continued.

"You'll be staying with me, Duo, for as long as you like." He spoke softly as he wrapped the large rough towel around the skinny body and began patting off the beads of water from off his skin. His clean skin was so white, almost translucent. Yet it's surface bore signs of his two years in hell. Faint lines puckered from where stitches had been used to close wounds, bruises in various stages dotted his body and sores from the waste products he'd smeared all over his body as a repellant was the price he paid for his unique form of protection.

For his part, Duo stood immobile as he was toweled off and listened impassively to the words of a better life with his friend without any response. When he was dry, Trowa stood back as he watched Sanders secured a towel around the small waist by tucking in the corner. "Looks like we're ready." The older guard kept his tone light as he led Duo from the room.

The infirmary seemed harshly bright as they reentered it, but Trowa immediately noticed another middle-aged man with dull, brown hair and a large nose set between two closely placed eyes and wearing a white lab coat. On the table were two trays that were covered with plastic lids, and he assumed they contained the promised food.

The doctor motioned Sanders to the scale standing against the wall and Duo obediently followed the pull on his arm as he was led to step up on it.

He knew his friend hadn't grown much, but he was shocked to see he still stood at the same height of five feet, four inches tall and weighed ninety pounds. He stared at the near naked form on the scale and he could make out the vertebrae on his spine and the outline of his rib cage. Trowa had seen many things in his life, but realizing that his friend had nearly starved to death caused his blood to boil within him for revenge.

Finding himself unable to speak even if he could find something appropriate to say, he watched as Duo was led by the two men to the exam table where Sanders lifted him up and set him on it with seemingly no effort at all.

The doctor was quick and efficient as he examined the slight body before him for any other damage that might have occurred since his last visit. He then quickly applied an antibiotic ointment to the open sores liberally spread across his skin.

"Well," the doctor stood back to appraise his patient one last time. "I'm glad to see you go," he said, not unkindly. "I hope the rest of your life will be kinder than what you've had to face here," he added.

Duo sat motionless, his eyes on the floor. The doctor then turned to Trowa. "I'll give you enough antibiotic ointment to last two weeks," he told him. "If they prove to be persistent, you'll probably have to have a personal physician called, in any case. He's had bones that were repeatedly broken that may need to be surgically repaired. His left arm is almost useless and he limps severely on his right leg, but other than that, it's his mind that's been the most adversely affected. He stopped speaking after his third week here. That's also the time his braid was cut off by some inmate as a trophy. That seemed to mark the end of his defiance, he was broken. He became timid, frightened and resorted to hiding and being filthy to protect himself. His mental healing will take time and great patience if he is to return to some semblance of normalcy."

Trowa closed his eye, trying to calm himself from what the doctor had said, and nodded his head that he'd understood. He had to remind himself that it wasn't the messenger he wanted to kill, but those who caused this to happen, so he reigned in his need to lash out in anger. Then taking a deep breath, he began to speak to the two men who'd obviously cared for Duo, needing to get some of the grief he felt out of his system. 

"He used to be so happy, outgoing, and fun loving. He was mischievous, but has a heart of gold. He was beautiful inside and out."

"He might never be that person again," the doctor warned with a look of pity in his eyes.

With a sigh, he nodded that he understood.

"Get him some good psychiatric help," the Doctor advised. "Maybe in time, he'll be able to assume a normal life again."

Trowa's eyes moved again to look at the pitiful, silent figure sitting obediently on the examination table. He knew in his heart that the exuberant, gregarious and confident boy he'd know in the war was most likely gone forever, destroyed by one betrayal after another.

"Come on kid," Sanders took hold of Duo and lifted him off the table. "Time to eat, then we'll get you dress for the long ride home."

He took Duo to the table and sat him in the chair, then uncovered the first tray of food. There was a hint of reluctance as Duo looked up with his wide questioning eyes to the older guard.

"Go ahead, it's alright." Saunders smiled at him in a reassuring way, then picked up the fork on the tray and gently placed it in Duo's slack hand.

Seeming to need the permission, Duo then dug into the food like a starving man. He ate without manners, quickly and barely chewing before he swallowed and shoved in more.

"Slow down Duo," Trowa cautioned, worried that he'd choke.

"He always starts out fast." Sanders told him, keeping a sharp eye on the hungry eater. "He'll slow down when he realized I'm not going to take it away."

Another morsel of information that helped guilt on his heavy heart. Putting his head in his hand to hide his sorrow and fighting to compose himself, he felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see the doctor had approached him from behind, his eyes were filled with worry and sympathy. "You'll need to be strong for him," he said quietly. "He'll need you to keep him safe and show him the world isn't out to hurt him at every turn." His dark eyes bore into his own. "It will take a lot of strength, but I can sense you care enough to give what it will take to help him."

"He was framed, you know," he told them. "He was sent here by betrayal from personal enemies and by the negligence of friends. He went through all this hell for something he didn't even do. It will be hard for both of us to forgive them." He had felt, once again, the need to exonerate Duo in these men's eyes, needed someone else to share his anger and frustration at what had happed to the shattered person in front of them.

Looking at Duo, he could see that Sander's prediction was true, Duo did slow down the pace of food being shoveled into his mouth. His hair, though clean was a mass of matted wet balls, impossibly tangled by two years of neglect.

Sanders lifted the lid of the second tray to reveal another plate filled with food, and pushed it in front of Duo, removing the other empty tray.

The doctor began to address him again. "You should know that he is frightened of groups of men, maybe of all people in general now. Loud voices and shouting causes him to cower and become incontinent."

Another thought came to the Preventer, the shuttle ride could pose a problem. "How will he deal with being in a shuttle and in busy terminals?" he asked, becoming more concerned about the impending trip.

The doctor blew out a puff of air as he thought. "Not well, I'm afraid. I could sedate him, but it will only last about six hours. Do you know how to give an injection?" he asked him.

He nodded. "I became somewhat of an expert on it during the wars."

"Good." The doctor seemed pleased. "I'll give you a syringe with the tranquilizer to make it to Earth. You might arrange for someone to make special arrangements for picking you up and avoiding the crowds generally associated with space terminals."

"Alright," he said, even as he began to frantically think of who he should call. Quatre and Heero were definitely out. He hadn't spoken more than a few words to the former Wing pilot since the day he left Duo for Relena. The memory was still fresh of he and Quatre rushing to L-2 and to Duo's side, at Heero's request, to offer their support and a shoulder to lean on. Heero had always been Duo's anchor during the wars. It had been plainly seen by the rest of them that he loved Heero with all his being, and had nearly been destroyed when his "soul mate" had left him for Relena. Trowa had turned his back on Heero that day as Duo's life hung by a thread, and had only spoken to him when his job made it necessary. Oh, Heero had made some faint overtures to reconciling their friendship, but he curtly told the former Wing Gundam pilot he wouldn't work with he or Relena and he wasn't accepting any social invitations from them either.

Quatre had been forced to deal with them in his position of the head of Winner Inc., but he'd wisely kept his interactions with them to himself.

Quatre. He could turn to him for help, but Duo had ended up here because of someone in Quatre's home. Until that person was found and punished, neither he nor Duo would set foot on any property owned by any member of the Winner family, including Quatre. That left Lady Une, Mrs. Lunderson, or Wufei.

Duo finished his meal and looked about nervously. 

"Okay kid." Sanders took charge again. "Lets get you dressed."

Trowa looked around the room and saw the two bags he'd carried with him for earth sitting on the floor next to the examination table. Must have been put there while he was deep in thought, he mused, and vowed not to let himself get that distracted again.

Taking the initiative, he moved to the black duffel, similar to Duo's bag during the war, and hoisted it up onto the table. Unzipping it, he withdrew a pair of black jeans and a red, long-sleeved t-shirt, socks, shoes, and underwear, all in the size Duo had worn at the time of his arrest. When he'd bought them, he was afraid they'd be too small for him two years later, now he feared that they would be too big.

Sanders came to his side. "I'll dress him if you'd like to make any arrangements for your flight and arrival," he offered as he picked up the neatly folded stack of clothing. "You can use either the computer or the vid phone in my office, collect charges, of course," he added with a slight smile, as the price for a vid call from the colonies to Earth were obscenely expensive.

"Alright," he agreed and looked to Duo who sat, clothed only in a towel and staring at the empty tray in front of him.

"I'll be right back, Duo," he called out and moved to leave the room. As he reached the door, he heard the chair fall and turned in time to catch Duo as he threw himself onto him. It was apparent Duo thought he was leaving him. Thin wiry arms held him in a strangle hold, Duo's cheek pressed desperately into his chest.

"It's okay, Duo." He brought his trapped arms up to stroke the bare back, trembling with some strong emotion. "I'd never leave without you. I just have to make a phone call, change my clothes, and then we'll leave this place for good."

Duo didn't respond other than to tighten his grip.

"Please, Duo."he tried again and softly. "I need to make some arrangements for when we land on Earth. I'll come right back, I promise. I've never lied to you, have I?"

No response. He looked over the mass of tangled hair to see the doctor hold up a filled syringe and looked at him questioningly. Trowa nodded his head in agreement and returned the firm embrace. Holding him as the doctor approached, Duo's only movement was a slight flinch as the needle was inserted into his upper arm. The head beneath his chin turned up, wide frightened eyes sought his. "I promise to take you with me, Duo. I'll keep you safe," he told him as the blue/violet eyes shut and the frail body went limp in his arms.

Captain Sanders caught him up and carried his small, diminutive friend back to the exam table. "He'll be dressed when you come back," he told the worried looking Preventer, and then set to work placing the clothes on the still form. The doctor quickly moved to help him as Trowa turned and reluctantly left the room to make his vid call.

TBC


	4. Web 4

Web of Betrayal

Part 4, Betrayal Shared

Dyna Dee

The shuttle ride back to Earth was fairly uneventful as his drug induced friend slept soundly and unaware the entire time. Trowa shifted the other's body in his seat to a more comfortable reclining position on his side, his head pillowed on Trowa's thigh. With his hand draped on the slender shoulder to lend a sense of security, he tried to sleep as much as possible feeling both emotionally and physically drained from the long trip. But his mind refused to calm completely. It kept going in circles, holding back sleep as he worried about what was ahead of him in caring for Duo. And even as he finally dozed off into an uneasy sleep, his mind and instincts were honed into Duo, acutely aware of any movement the slumberer made that might signal that he was waking.

The transfer at L-3 was carried off easily as he had arranged from the shuttle for a wheelchair to transport the sleeping young man through the busy terminal to the Earthbound shuttle bay. Once on board the new shuttle, he managed to wake Duo just enough to lead him stumbling towards the restroom in order to have him use the facility and take a drink of juice once he was back in his seat. As Duo began to become more lucid and aware of his surroundings, he quickly administered the tranquilizer, knocking him out for another six hours.

After landing on Earth, Trowa watched from his seat as the other passengers slowly disembarked the shuttle and waited for the last one to leave before he removed Duo's seat belt.

"Is there anything I can get for you, Preventer Barton?" The attractive female shuttle attendant asked as she stood in the isle, ready to be of aid to him.

"I need the wheelchair I'd requested to move him to our next flight to Brussels," he told her and checked his watch. "Which leaves in forty-five minutes."

"I have the chair just out side the shuttle door. You'll need to carry him to that point," she instructed him with a worried look to the matted haired slumberer.

Standing, he stretched a moment before reaching up to the compartment above and removing the two pieces of luggage he'd carried on board. 

"I'll carry those for you," the young, black haired and perky attendant offered with a flirtatious smile. He returned a more neutral smile of gratitude at her gesture of kindness and handed her the two bags, then turned and carefully lifted Duo from his seat. His tranquilized and traumatized-looking friend made not a sound or movement as he pressed him securely against his chest before heading to the shuttle's exit door.

His Preventer's badge sped them through customs and they were the first to be seated on the airliner as it was boarded for Brussels. Two hours later they landed. He mentally willed the other passengers to get off quickly as Duo was just beginning to stir from his drug-induced slumber. He easily carried the small man's diminutive body to the wheelchair, again waiting for them just outside the exit door of the plane.

With his companion still asleep and propped up in a sitting position his wheelchair by Trowa's Preventer's jacket, he quickly pushed the chair towards the terminal gate, hoping their ride had arrived. Exiting the tube into the bustling terminal, he heard his name called and searched through the crowds for the person belonging to it.

"Trowa, over here." He looked to his right to see Wufei sitting in a tram-cart. He smiled in gratitude as he pushed the wheelchair in his direction. With a sharp eye he watched the Chinese man's face for his reaction as they approached and as his dark eyes lowered to take in the person in the wheelchair. His eyes became wide with a mixture of shock and alarm as he recognized it's occupant.

Jumping out of the cart, Wufei rushed to them, stopping directly in front of the chair, haulting their progress. Trowa obligingly stopped and let him study Duo's frail form.

"By Nataku, Trowa." Wufei whispered hoarsely and seemed unable to speak more.

"I ransomed him," he informed his Chinese friend, realizing a little late that he stated the obvious. Working together on various cases often during the last two years had helped him to forgive Wufei's coldness towards Duo during the trial. Wufei had always been rather aloof and stand-offish from the other pilots, always preferring to fight alone. He had learned and come to accept that it was just Wufei's way and manner, being a product of a society of patriarchal dominants that trained themselves to school their thoughts and passion. His appearance of coldness and strict adherence to rules and norms of society were definitely a part of the Chinese soldier turned peacekeeper, but he had slowly come to learn it was not necessarily a show of Wufei's true feelings and sensitivities.

His sometimes partner's ebony eyes looked at him now with something akin to admiration and disbelief, but suddenly narrowed as they looked back down to Duo's small form. "What's happened to him? He looks horrible." He took in the thin, frail body, almost lost in the ill-fitting clothing and the matted hair.

"I'll tell you on the drive home," Trowa told him, knowing it wouldn't be easy for him to tell the story of Duo's plight, nor pleasant for Wufei to hear it. "I may have to rely on you to keep me from killing Heero and Relena, though."

Wufei raised a crooked eyebrow at the auburn haired man, but contented himself to wait until they were in the car and merely nodded in reply. Unhooking the duffels from off his shoulders, Trowa gave them to Wufei to put in the cart along with his Preventer's jacket. He then moved and lifted Duo out of the wheelchair and carried him secured in his arms to sit beside himself in the small back seat of the passenger transport cart.

As Wufei took his place in the driver's seat, Trowa leaned slightly forward and put his hand on his friend shoulder. "Hurry," he said calmly. "His tranquilizer could wear off at any time."

"And I'm guessing that would be a bad thing?" Wufei asked him with a quick backward glance, even as the cart began to move.

"In a crowded terminal, yeah," he answered. "It could be a very bad thing."

Wufei's knuckles were white as he gripped the steering wheel of his car. His mouth was pressed tightly into a thin line and his jaw was clenched as Trowa began telling him how he had found Duo and the circumstances surrounding it. The Chinese man had asked a few questions, but for the most part, he just listened.

Trowa had keep his voice low and controlled as he held Duo in his arms on the ride home, fearful his traumatized friend would wake up and panic in the unfamiliar surroundings.

The car came to a slow stop in front of the well-kept, suburban home. Wufei turned the engine off, set the parking break, then leaned forward to rest his forehead against the steering wheel. "Never in a thousand years would I have believed Yuy to act so dishonorably against Duo," he said in a strained voice. "Nor Relena in her guise of being a pacifist."

"Who said pacifists can't be cruel?" Trowa hissed angrily. "Just because they won't raise a gun for a cause doesn't' mean they won't manipulate or act out spitefully because of jealousy. Her words in that letter acted like a smoking gun, and it clearly wasn't against her principles to ruin another person's life," he commented bitterly.

"What are we going to do about it?" Wufei asked as he raised his head and turned it to look at his friend, and the word "we" did not escape the auburn haired man.

"First," Trowa answered calmly. "We're going to see that Duo is safe. His body is emaciated, his spirit is broken, and he doesn't talk anymore."

Wufei's eyes opened wide at the words.

"He hasn't spoken in two years," he added.

The dark eyes lowered to gaze at the person in question. "Are you sure we shouldn't take him somewhere to get him professional help?" he asked, unsure of anything at this point. "By Nataku, Trowa, he's a physical and emotional mess." He didn't say the words unkindly, but with deep concern lining his worried face.

Trowa's grip tightened on the body in his arms. "No!" he said feeling fiercely protective. "I will never give anyone, professional, friend, or stranger the opportunity to hurt him again. He's suffered enough for several life times."

Wufei watched Trowa distractedly, his mind weighing their options. Then, he nodded, his face solemn. "I'll do whatever I can to help," he vowed. "I might have believed him guilty of theft, as the courts had judged him to be, but I never meant to turn my back on him, and he certainly didn't deserve what's happened."

A measure of relief filled Trowa at Wufei's words, knowing he would be act as their ally. "Thank you, Wufei," he said with emotion. "I think Duo and I will need all the friends we can get in the days to come," he told him in all honesty.

Removing the key from the ignition, Wufei turned to his friend again. "Is he angry with all of us?" he asked then shrugged. "Not that he doesn't have a right to be, but I sent him letters and packages that were returned, unopened. I assumed he'd refused them out of anger or spite.

Trowa's eyes began to blaze. "As did mine, Wufei. I worried when I didn't hear from him," he told his frowning friend. "But as I studied the rules and regulations for the penal colony, I learned that prisoners had to earn the right to communicate with the outside. It was considered a privilege and not a right. It seems communication is frowned on with the outside. When I left the penal colony, I asked for Duo's personal belongings." He looked up into the dark eyes. "He had nothing. I inquired about the items I'd sent and was told the Warden's orders were to stop all mail addressed to Duo and to confiscate or return it."

Wufei's eyes widened. "He received no word from anyone that whole time?" he gasped at the realization that Duo had truly been alone for two years.

Trowa nodded his head, unable to trust his voice.

A timid knock on the car window startle them, and they turned to see the concerned face of Mrs. Lunderson peering in at them. Wufei took it as his cue and got out of the car and quickly moved to the passenger side of the car and opened the door.

Reaching in, he pulled Duo from Trowa's arms into his own.

"Damn," he muttered in a shocked tone, and Trowa guessed it was from the realization of how little Duo weighed.

"Is this your friend?" the elderly lady inquired softly, her face fraught with concern.

Trowa climbed out of the car and stretched, popping his back that had ached from the long hours of sitting and holding his companion. He looked down into the kind eyes of the woman he'd grown so fond of.

"He was sedated for the trip," he explained his friend's current condition to the elderly woman. "He's been treated horribly, Mrs. Lunderson." Sadness was clearly etched in his face and tone of voice. "And he is greatly traumatized. I..." he paused, wondering again if it was fair to bring Duo in his current state into her home. "I don't know how he's going to react to being here, and I apologize in advance for anything that may happen as he readjusts. But, Mrs. L." he looked at with pleadingly. "Duo needs a home right now. A place to feel safe and protected. A place of peace. Frankly, I couldn't think couldn't think of a better place or person I could trust more to help me with him than you."

Mrs. L's eyes glistened as he spoke, and immediately rushed to embrace him as she was wont to do often during the last two years. "I'm glad you brought him home," she said, still holding him as her eyes turned to look tenderly on the sleeping person in question. "We'll do our best to make him well again."

With gratitude at her supportive words and kindness, Trowa hugged her back.

She let go and turned to Wufei and his armful. "Come on, dear, lets get him inside." She led them up the sidewalk, onto the porch, and through the open door. Trowa realized by the new location and angle of the rocking chair in front of the bay window that she had been sitting and waiting for their arrival. A warmth filled his heart as he realized, once again, his good fortune to have this caring woman in his life and now in Duo's.

"Where should I put him?" Wufei asked as he stood in the entry way.

"On the couch." Trowa directed him to the front room. "He'll wake up soon and I don't want him to be alone in an unfamiliar room when he does." 

The familiar floral blue and yellow couch seemed an odd contrast to the ill looking boy laying so still on top of it. The three of them stood silently and looked down at the twenty year old young man still soundly asleep. His pale skin, size and frailness, along with the stillness of his drug induced sleep, lent an appearance of someone much younger in years. Trowa thought it was no wonder that the guards at H-4, 10 had referred affectionately to him as "The Kid". Duo at the moment looked like a young teenager again. Then a shiver went up his spine at the thought of the heinous things that had happened to him in his vulnerable state.

Mrs. L reached down and touched his horribly messy hair. "My but this is going to take some work to untangle," she said to no one in particular.

"He should be waking up soon." Trowa told her. "And when he does, I think he's going to be very hungry. It's been about fourteen hours since he last ate."

"I've got a pot of goulash all ready on the stove." She looked up at him with a gentle smile. "Let me go heat it up." With a last look of concern at Duo's sleeping face, she left the room to carry out her task.

He next turned to the Chinese man. "Would you get the bags from the car for me, Wufei?" he asked, not wanting to leave Duo's side.

His friend immediately left the house and returned moments later with both bags.

Trowa stood and went immediately to his bag, opened it, and pulled out the confiscated folder. He motioned for Wufei to sit on one of the vacant wingback chairs facing the couch and gave him the folder. He then sat back and silently waited, watching both of his friends as Wufei opened the folder and began to scan it's contents with an eye trained to detail, and to Duo sleeping peacefully. He noted Wufei's usually placid face became tense and clouded with anger as he turned the many pages.

Mrs. L. brought in two steaming bowls of goulash; beef, potatoes, carrots and tomatoes cooking in the same pot with onions and spices. Wufei's sat untouched on the small table next to him as he continued to look over the file. Trowa ate his portion and watched as Mrs L. fussed over Duo, putting a pillow under his head and covering him with a handcrafted, crocheted afghan.

Twenty minutes later, the two bowls sat empty and Wufei ended the silence that had consumed the room by shutting the folder and deeply sighing. "Do you think Rennanda Winner had a hand in framing Duo?" he asked Trowa a deep frown on his face.

"I don't know, but I intend on asking Quatre if he knew about her letter. And so help me if he did..." He let the promise of a threat fade off, hoping with all his heart his love didn't know of it's existence and purpose.

"Relena and Heero also have to answer for their letter and this file, not only for being in their possession, but also being sent to harm Duo," Wufei added looking decidedly upset by what was being revealed to him. "I realized she resented Duo for his relationship with Heero, but she'd almost destroyed him by luring Yuy to her side. You'd think that would have satisfied her." He shook his head in disbelief. "And Heero.....," he gave a snort of disgust. "There's no excuse for him in signing that letter and condemning Duo for the same if not lesser actions then he, or any of us were responsible for during the war."

"I agree," Trowa replied sadly. At one time in his life, during the war, he'd greatly admired Heero. His dedication to duty and his sense of honor and purpose were traits he had tried to emulate. But no longer. His signature on that damning letter effectively put the last nail in the proverbial coffin of friendship.

Wufei leaned forward. "I'd like to have a copy of this file to investigate as to whether the law was bent or broken in the acquisition of Duo's sealed file and Relena's part in sending it to the judge and then the Warden, who were both obviously prejudiced in selecting Duo's placement on P.C. 4. The Warden's actions and inaction, as well as the judge's sentencing, were both prepossessed with the illegally obtained file in their possession while making their decisions regarding Duo is highly unethical and legally questionable."

Trowa looked Wufei in eye and could see a fierceness in their depths that he hadn't seen since the wars. It was clear to him that Wufei now had a new cause to fight for.

"I swear I'll return it to you intact," he said in response to Trowa's penetrating gaze.

Trowa nodded his consent. "I might consider perusing legal action for Duo against them for the harm they've done him," he told his colleague. "I would like to see Duo compensated for all the wrongs done to him," he said softly while his gaze wandered back in time to see the slumberer raise his arm to cover his face. He continued on, sadly. "Though I know with all my being that there's not enough money on the Earth or the colonies that could erase what's happened to him these past two years."

Wufei stood with the folder in his hands, his face set in determination. "I'll go copy these and return this evening," he said, then turned to Mrs. L. who had just come into the room and was standing by the dinning room doorway. "Thank you Mrs. Lunderson for the delicious food." He nodded and slightly bowed respectfully to her. "Is there anything I can bring back for Duo?" he asked Trowa who stood from his chair to see him to the door.

The auburn haired man paused to think for a moment. "I'm going to have to buy him more clothes," he told him. "I bought him the smallest size in young men's clothing, thinking they'd fit, and he's falling out of them."

Wufei nodded. "I'll pick something up for him to wear," he offered as he tucked the file under his arm. "I'll see you tonight."

Mrs. L. saw him to the door and through the front window, Trowa watched him drive away. Some of the weight of responsibility he'd felt regarding Duo seemed to have lessened a bit in just talking to Wufei. It felt good to know he had another person to help shoulder this burden, and Wufei had very strong shoulders. A good friend to have in a tight situation.

Duo turned onto his side, a definite sign he was coming out of his drugged induced sleep, a frown marred his features.

Trowa moved to kneel by his side, aware that Mrs. L was watching him. He placed his hand on Duo's messy hair and pushed it away from his face.

"Hey, Duo. Are you ready to wake up and have something to eat?" He spoke softly to his fragile friend. The cinnamon-colored eyebrows drew together. "Come on, it's time to see your new home."

Suddenly, the blue/violet eyes flew open and Duo shot up from his position on the couch in alarm and crouched into a ball in the corner. "It's alright, Duo." Trowa quickly moved to calm him. "We're on Earth, in Brussels. Remember I told you about my home?"

Duo's wide, frightened eyes frantically searched the room he'd never seen before. His eyes stopped for a moment on Mrs. Lunderson, then darted back to the person he knew. His mouth silently formed his name an instant before he flung himself into his savior's arms. Trowa caught him, getting use to the idea that Duo needed the physical assurance that his friend was his solid and always present anchor.

Trowa rubbed Duo's boney back and he spoke reassurances to him and motioned for Mrs. L. to come closer. She approached nervously, wringing her hands, not having anticipated Duo's mental fragility.

"Duo," Trowa began. "I want you to meet Mrs. Lunderson, my landlady and friend. This is her home and she says you can stay here with us. Can you say hello to her?"

The only reaction from the formerly rambunctious and loquacious teen was the turn of Duo's head towards the direction of the elderly woman.

For her part, Mrs. L slowly approached the two, then carefully and slowly knelt down next to them.

"Hello, Duo." She smiled in a warm pleasant way that was always reassuring. "I'm so glad to finally meet you," she continued. "Trowa has told me all about you and I'm glad you've come to stay with us."

Trowa couldn't see Duo's face to judge his reaction, but Mrs. L.'s face seemed to crumble and her eyes softened in sympathy.

"Shh," she whispered soothingly as he hand reached out to touch the matted hair. "It's alright." Her eyes watered up. "You're safe here with Trowa and I. Are you hungry?"

He felt Duo's head nod slightly, and Trowa's watery eyes met Mrs. L's., both grateful and relieved that Duo was responding to her.

"Come on Duo." He moved to pull the both of them to their feet. "I'll show you around." Somehow he managed to stand with Duo still clinging to him. Mrs L. held her aged and wrinkled hand out to him.

"Will you let me show you, too?" she asked and smiled warmly at him as he slowly and with obvious hesitance reached his right hand out to her, even as the other hand tightly clutched the front of Trowa's uniform shirt. The three of them circled the living room as Mrs. L pointed out the television and music system, inviting him to use them anytime. Then they moved into the dining room and the kitchen followed. They stopped there and sat at the family-sized table and a large bowl of goulash along with a fork was placed in front of him. At a nod from Trowa, the messy haired young man ate heartily, in fact, a total of three full bowls quickly disappeared.

As the afternoon waned, Trowa led Duo out into the garden. With the small, thin arms wrapped tightly around his waist, and the frail body clinging to his side, they walked into the blooming haven. Mrs L. loved flowers, so much so that every bush, tree, and plant on the ground bloomed at one time or another during the various seasons. Trowa remembered from the war how enthralled Duo had been with every aspect of nature on Earth. It seemed L-2 was a spiritless and fairly colorless colony, and Earth opened up beauties he'd only heard of from the nun he'd often praised when he recalled her memory to the other pilots.

There was a slight intake of air from Duo, and Trowa looked down to see his eyes were wide with wonderment. He walked them around the garden, showing him the flowers and encouraging him to touch and smell them. A hint of a smile graced the gaunt heart-shaped face. The first sign of one that Trowa had seen since he found Duo living in the alleyway of the prison.

They ended up sitting close together on the wooden swing, the pale blue, stripped cushion Mrs. L. had made for it made the seat more comfortable. The two sat side by side in silence as Trowa's foot caused the swing to rock, listening to the crickets and birds sing with abandon and smelling the fragrance of all the flowers that surrounded them.

"Do you like it here, Duo?" he asked after a time and noted the odd feeling of having to begin a conversation with the former chatter box. His friend's head nodded against his shoulder. Then unexpectedly, the smaller young man turned his head into his protector's shoulder burying his face in the fabric of his shirt, and Trowa felt Duo's body begin to tremble. He then heard gentle gasps for air and sniffling, and knew that his friend was crying.

The first time he'd even seen Duo cry was when he and Quatre broke into his apartment on L-2; the one newly vacated by Heero. Heero had called Quatre informing him that he'd left L-2 to take on a job as head of Relena's security. In a strained voice, he said he was concerned for Duo as he'd reacted strongly when he'd told him of his plans and left. He asked if we would fly to L-2 and see that our friend and former comrade was alright.

With all haste they had taken Quatre's private shuttle straight away, and their concern mounted as Duo's phone and computer messages went unanswered. They arrived late that night and found a completely dark house and no answer to the repeated knocking or ringing of the doorbell. He'd broken down the front door and Quatre led the way as they rushed through the small house turning on all the lights while looking for their friend with fear rising in their hearts, frantically calling out his name as we went through the rooms.

Quatre found him first, sequestered and unconscious in the back corner of Duo's bedroom closet. Several empty bottles of beer were on the cedar lined floor as well as an empty bottle of sleeping pills that was loosely clutched in his limp left hand.

Quatre immediately called the emergency number for an ambulance, and Trowa had hauled their smaller friend into the bathroom and stuck his finger down Duo's throat. He was somewhat relieved to have about eighteen partially dissolved pills come up. The label on the prescription bottle had stated that twenty-four pills had been purchased six months earlier, so the chances were that some of those had been used previously.

Quatre rode with the paramedics while he had answered questions to police officer who drove him to the hospital a mere six blocks away.

Duo was treated for an overdose and four hours later they were allowed to see him. That was then they both experienced what they never seen through the war, Duo was crying, and continued to cry as they both put supporting arms around him. He never thanked them for saving him, but he did allow his two friends to take him back to L-4 where they cared for him until he had the strength to return to his job and his life. At Duo's request, the apartment he'd shared with Heero was vacated in his absence, and a new one, closer to his job, was found and his things were moved while he was still on L-4 with them.

They stayed in touch daily with him after his return to L-2, making sure Duo knew he wasn't alone, especially three months later when the news-vids announced the marriage of Relena Dorilian Peacecraft, Vice Foreign Minister to the Colonies, to Herro Yuy, former gundam pilot and current body guard. He stayed with them for an entire week that time; it was a very rough week. He visited them every other weekend until six months later, on that fateful day when the ancient Faberge Egg was taken from the safe at the Winner mansion. Quatre had taken it out the night before to show them the exquisitely delicate artifact that was on it's way to a museum. He told them both it had been appraised at twenty-five million. The three wondered at the ridiculous amount for such a small, though beautifully crafted egg that had been commissioned by the Czar of Russia centuries ago. Duo had commented that if he had that much money, he could feed the poor on L-2 for a long time. That, ostensibly, is what made him suspicious to the police who investigated the theft. That simple, heartfelt, and altruistic statement had helped someone to frame the orphan from L-2.

As he thought back on the first time he'd ever seen Duo cry, he wondered how many tears he'd shed all alone with no one to comfort him during the last two years in the hell he'd been betrayed to and made to suffer through. He knew that, somehow, he would see that the Duo's tears would be made a thing of the past.

Letting go of this thoughts, the former Heavyarms pilot began concentrating on the trembling body in his arms as Duo silently cried. He stroked the messy head of hair and whispered words of comfort and safety even as he realized that Duo had more reason to cry then almost anyone.

"It's okay, Duo. To cry is a part of healing," he assured his friend as he sniffed back the emotions that had been welling up inside him for days now. "You go ahead and cry, and I'll cry along with you. Maybe then we'll both feel better," he told him, and then, he did. He let go of the heavy weight of emotion that had filled him since he'd learned that no one else would venture to ransom their former comrade. The ache he felt when he'd learned of Duo's placement in the penal colony, the letters of betrayal, and the horror of not only reading about the repeated abuse he'd suffered, but of seeing him pulled out of a cardboard box looking much like a frightened and cowered animal.

The two sat with their arms wrapped tightly around each other, slowly rocking the swing amidst the fragrant smells of roses, jasmine, and honeysuckle as tears of sorrow and regret fell silently. As the light of day faded and the air cooled, their tears subsided. Duo lay heavily against him, is grip on Trowa lessened just slightly, a sign that his trust was growing. In the distance, they heard the sound of a doorbell, followed by a brief exchange of murmured words by two separate and distinct voice, though Trowa couldn't understand what was being said. A moment later, the light in the kitchen came on, and the sound of footsteps on the linoleum floor were heard just before the back screen door creaked open and Wufei was led out of the house by Mrs L., who remained standing at the back door with a worried look on her face as she observed the two still in the swing with red eyes.

Mrs. L. called this time of day the gloaming, a short time of day between sundown and the descending of the dark of night. In that faint, dim light, Wufei stood before the two on the slightly swinging chair, looking down on the boy they use to know, now so changed as he huddled in his friend's arms and held protectively against Trowa's chest.

Trowa watched his Chinese friend, seeing that he wanted to address Duo, but was afraid or hesitant to do so. With a motion of his hand, Trowa indicated that Wufei should crouch down, below Duo's eye level, in a posture of no threat to the traumatized young man.

With extreme caution, moving deliberately slow, Wufei complied and lowered himself down on his knees and waited a moment. 

"Duo," Trowa called out his name and stroked the boney back, feeling the ripple of ribs, too lean of body fat. "Wufei is here and wants to welcome you home," he said softly, trying to ease him into the reunion. But the only reaction he sensed from Duo was that of the hand on his shirt front gripping the material more tightly. He tried again. "Wufei picked us up at the airport and drove us home. He's going to help us find out what went so wrong. He'll help us seek justice."

The word justice caused Duo to stiffen slightly. During and after the war, Duo had teased the Chinese pilot endlessly about his rants on justice or the lack thereof. The head of matted hair tuned towards Wufei's direction to see him kneeling on the ground, his eyes just below his own level of sight. 

Trowa's eyes also studied Wufei, trying to see what Duo was taking in. Two years had changed their Chinese friend. He had grown taller, now standing at five foot, ten inches. His face had changed from a wiry, angry youth to that of a young man who had found his place in life in being a peacekeeper. He was confident, strong in mind and body and self assured, definitely a man who had put his troubled past behind him. Yet as he watched him react to Duo's stare, he saw Wufei's face soften and his eyes glisten with unshed tears of compassion, so unlike the Wufei of old.

"Hello, Duo." He bowed his head for a moment in a show of respect. He then looked as if he was at a loss for words. "I... I..." He stumbled uncharacteristically with his thoughts and words. "I'm sorry, Duo. So sorry," he whispered, his voice filled with emotion. He lowered his head to rest his forehead against Duo's knee and let it rest there. Trowa realized Wufei was probably reacting, just as he had, to the file taken from the penal colony. As he had taken the file to copy, he most likely had to read it in more detail and had time think about it, allowing himself to envision the last two miserable years of Duo's life.

"I swear to you that I wrote you and sent gifts,"' he told his silent friend as he raised his head up to look into the haunted blue/violet that gazed at him. "But they all came back unopened. I though you'd severed our friendship." His voice was barely audible, even the crickets chirped louder. "And justifiably so," he added.

"It's true, Duo." Trowa spoke now, hoping to aid Wufei's cause. "I sent you weekly letters and several packages. I found out while I was there that they'd been confiscated, a few returned unopened," he told him in hope of explaining why Duo hadn't heard from them during his time on P.C. 4.

Wufei raised his head, his eyes imploring as he looked into their much abused friend's thin face. "I swear to you, on my honor Duo, I'll never let anyone or anything hurt you again. Please, give me a chance to be your friend again." 

It was then that Trowa saw something he'd never expected to see from the Chinese young man. During the war, Duo and Quatre had always been the outgoing, affectionate individuals of the five pilots. An arm slung over someone's shoulder, a spontaneous hug , a welcome or forward embrace were common from those two. The others, including himself were nearly the complete opposites in nature. Not only did they not initiate such a touch from anyone, they barely tolerated it. Quatre and Duo were both rebuffed by each of the three at one time or another because of their affectionate and tactile ways. Yet he supposed, being young, they were still teachable. He'd spent the last day doing not much else but holding Duo and comforting him. And now he watched as Wufei extended his arms up in a rare plea and invitation to Duo to come into his arms.

For a moment he thought Duo might refuse him, as he made no more.

"Please Duo." Wufei implored, his dark eyes never wavering from Duo's face. "Trust me," he entreated.

In the next instant, just as suddenly as he'd thrown himself into his arms at the penal colony, Duo withdrew from his secure embrace and went into Wufei's arms. Trowa looked on with a sad smile on his face as Wufei sat back on the ground with Duo's slight form completely and tightly held in his arms.

"I'm so sorry for what's happened, Duo." Wufei whispered. "But never again. We'll make sure it never happens again."

Wufei then looked up at him, with moisture and emotion filling both their eyes. As onyx eyes met green, a silent pack was made between them to fulfill the words he'd just spoken.

They sat there until true darkness had fallen and Mrs. L. turned on the backyard light and cautiously approached the three. "I've got some bread pudding and ice cream for dessert if you boys are hungry," she offered timidly. Trowa resolved to speak to her as soon as Duo was settled for the night. She was obviously tip-toeing around them and the unknown situation she had suddenly been thrust into. Knowledge of what Duo had ben through and why he and Wufei were acting so out of character would help her to understand and relax.

Wufei moved to stand, and Trowa lent him some support as Duo continued to hold onto him.

"Come on, Duo." Trowa patted him gently on the back as his feet found the ground. "Lets go get some dessert." His messy head nodded against Wufei's shoulder and he slowly let his arms drop away as he allowed Trowa to turn him, taking his right arm, and lead him back into the house.

While dessert was served, Wufei brought into the kitchen several bags of clothing. There was a variety of sweat pants, tee-shirts, and sweatshirts and jackets. The two held the clothing up against their seated friend, and decided the small size would suit him for now.

After the sweet treat was finished, Wufei help Trowa take Duo upstair to his new room and they worked together to get him ready for bed. One of the t-shirts and boxers Trowa had bought previous to his trip to P.C. 4 was substituted for pajamas. Wufei waited inside the room as Trowa led Duo, now noticeably limping while favoring his right leg, to the bathroom. After he'd relieved himself, Trowa gave him a soaped-up wash cloth and told Duo wash his face and hands and brush his teeth. Duo, for his part, willingly complied to his instructions and performed each task by himself, but it seemed to Trowa that the blue/violet eyes constantly turned his way looking for consent or instruction to initiate each task. 

As Duo finished rinsing out his mouth, he looked up into the mirror over the sink and stared at his reflection. Trowa followed his line of sight and also viewed his friend through the reflecting glass. The first thing that was noticeable was the gaunt look to the once beautiful face and the pallid tone to his skin. The horribly tangled hair on his head seemed to frame Duo's eyes, still large and beautiful, but with a blank and haunted look to them, so different from the lively, mischievous eyes Trowa remembered from their piloting days. The battered soul's face continued to look fragile and impassive, even as a lone tear spilled over one lower eyelid and trickled slowly down his cheek, showing Duo's silent grief at what he was seeing staring back at him.

Trowa moved to his side and wiped away the tear and any traces of it, then reached up to touch the messy, matted hair. "We'll work on this tomorrow when we're both more rested, alright?" In the mirror's reflection their eyes met and Duo nodded his head, then followed meekly as the other to lead him back to his room.

Working quickly and efficiently, both Preventers made sure their friend was comfortably tucked into his bed before shutting out the light and leaving the door slightly ajar as they moved to descend the stair to the living room.

"I made two copies of the P.C. 4 files." Wufei spoke as they sat down in the living room. He pointed to the entry hall table and Trowa spied the file folder and a stack of papers bound together on top of it.

"Une happened by as I was working on the copy machine," he continued. "And she inquired about the files contents." He looked up at Trowa pointedly. "She knows," he told him.

Trowa nodded in reply. "I requested two weeks vacation off and she guess my intent," he told his friend. "She even gave me a letter of recommendation she'd written for Duo's release."

"Figures." Wufei snorted. "That onna seems to know if we take a piss."

Trowa gave him a wry smile of agreement. "She saw the file?" he asked, and with a deep sigh, Wufei nodded.

"She was shocked, to say the least."

Trowa leaned forward slightly, looking to ascertain Wufei's honesty as he asked the next question. "Do you know who took the sealed file and gave it to Relena?"

He shook his head. "I asked Une and she denied any knowledge of it being taken. I then checked the request and requisition list for anyone even looking at it during the last two years. How ever Relena got her hands on them, it wasn't done through the proper channels. They were obtained illegally."

Silence hung between the two as the next obvious question still had to be voiced, but both seemed hesitant to say it out loud.

Finally, Trowa broke the awkward moment. "Do you think Heero hacked it from the Preventer systems and gave it to her?"

Wufei gave him a fierce look. "I hope for his sake he didn't, because if he did, I will not rest until justice is served on both of their heads for what they've done to Duo," he replied with a tone of firm resolve.

Trowa sat back, resting his head against the top of the floral couch and sighed deeply. He had the feeling they were opening a can of stinking, rotten worms.

"Does Quatre know about Duo being here?" Wufei asked and he turned his head without lifting it to look at him.

"No," he replied and watched Wufei's eyes roll in slight exasperation. Trowa continued then, to vindicate his actions of keeping his lover in the dark. "He knew what the date was, and he did nothing to get Duo out of that hell hole." He spoke in a derisive tone, feeling anger again at the thought.

Dark eyes continued to scrutinize him. "He's been caught in an awkward position, Trowa." Wufei said in a countering, rational tone. "It was his family's property that was stolen and his family who was offended that it was reportedly stolen by a guest staying in their home, a perceived betrayal of trust and friendship. He couldn't act against his family on Duo's behalf because of it. The Winner family has a strong moral and ethical code they live by, just as my clan had. Generations of proper decorum and set reactions are taught to them from infancy. Quatre is no different. His inborn sense of loyalty forced him to make a decision, he had to choose who to believe."

"But it was his choice to choose his sisters over Duo," Trowa said belligerently, trying to mask the pain the memory made him feel again.

"Yes," Wufei agreed. "And he paid for it by losing you and Duo on the same day."

"I suffered the same loss, Wufei," he countered lest his friend perceive Quatre was the only one hurt. "And I believed Duo when he said he didn't take the egg."

"You'll have to tell him sooner or later Trowa," he said as he settled back into his chair. "He'll find out from someone else if you don't, and that would lead to more problems in your relationship."

"Then you tell him," he said in all seriousness to his friend. He was immediately rewarded by a stunned look on Wufei's face as he blinked at the suggestion.

"You're kidding?" he asked in disbelief.

"No. In fact, it's the perfect solution."

"How so?" Wufei looked skeptical.

"After how I've found Duo, I'm in no mood to speak with him. I still blame him for not helping Duo after he was arrested." He held his hands up to stop whatever it was Wufei was about to say. "Even though I can see he was in a precarious position, I don't know if I can hold my anger in check where he and Duo are concerned." He slumped back into the chair. "I know that once he's informed, he'll call or come over here. But I'd just as soon he'd stay away until I have Duo seen by a doctor and get some psychiatrist to help. I'm not sure what we're going to be dealing with in the next few weeks, and having it complicated further with Quatre showing up won't help Duo right now"

"So you don't know if he knows about the letter in the file from his sister?" Wufei asked. 

Trowa closed his eyes again, feeling weary . The nearly thirty-six hour trip was catching up to him. "I don't know," he replied sleepily. "He's not said anything about it"

"What about Heero?" Wufei asked again, rather hesitantly.

"Keep him as far away from Duo as you can. I don't even want him to know that Duo is free, and when he does learn of it, and if I have to, I'll go as far as obtaining a restraining order against he and Relena." He felt suddenly very tired and drained. "If I see him in my current mental state, I might do something I'll really regret. You know, shoot first and ask questions later."

"You're judging him without hearing his side of the story." Wufei, ever the pragmatist, stated.

"He never answers any damn questions I've asked before, why would he do it now?" Trowa's voice rose in anger. "I asked him why, when he left Duo for Relena," he told the other. "And all I got was a shrug and 'It's none of your business.' from him. None of my business!" he shouted angrily. "We found Duo unconscious from an overdose of pills and it was none of my business? Cold hearted bastard!" he spat out vehemently.

"Duo attempted suicide?" Wufei was clearly shocked by the news. "Why wasn't I told this?"

Trowa's eye narrowed and his answer came out snidely. "Because you never asked, Wufei. You were too busy accommodating the Perfect Bastard as he settled on Earth with his take-a-picture, I'm perfect girlfriend."

To his credit, Wufei looked like he'd been sucker punched. "Heero told me they had a mutual parting of the ways and that Duo was fine."

"Which goes to show that Duo's positive trait of never lying didn't rub off on him." Trowa inserted. "Heero left him abruptly and called Quatre as he was leaving L-2, to request we check up on his shattered, former lover. He knew, dammit!" He growled in disgust. "He knew Duo was devastated and still he walked away and never looked back. Not once did he contact us to see how Duo fared."

Forcibly calming his raging anger that had festered over the years, he looked up to his friend once more. "All his overtures at resuming our friendship has been a sham," he said, truly exhausted now that he'd wrung so much emotion out in the last few hours. "I'll never forget the sight of Duo laying devastated and near death in that closet we found him in. The look of loss and pain never really left his eyes from that day on, though he tried to put up a happy mask when we were around him."

"By the Ancestors." Wufei looked to be in shock as his eyes fixed on a distant, non-visual object. "I...I never knew."

"Duo didn't want you to know," he told him. "He said if you were ignorant of what had happened then you wouldn't treat him any different." He continued to look at his Chinese partner, old hurts surfacing regardless of their renewed friendship. "And you didn't treat him differently, did you? You ignored him completely."

Wufei's eyes shot back to Trowa's, his defenses quickly surfacing. He looked as it he were about to argue with him, when his angry ebony eyes suddenly shifted to a point above and behind him.

Trowa turned to see Duo standing at the top of the stairs, his eyes wide and fearful, the quilt from off his bed was clasped tightly in his hands and pressed up against his chest. They both immediately shot to their feet.

"Duo, are you alright?" Trowa asked as he rushed to the stairs.

Duo's wide eyes shifted nervously shifted from Wufei to himself, then it him, Duo must have awaked by their loud voices, and he was afraid of the loud voices. He'd obviously heard he and Wufei arguing.

"I'm sorry Duo," he began to explain. "Wufei and I are just trying to sort everything out. There's no danger. We're not mad at you and we're not going to hurt you or each other. Do you understand?"

Searching his face as he mulled over what he'd said, Trowa felt relief when he nodded his head.

Wufei passed him and slowly climbed the stairs to stop two steps below the frightened look boy. 

"I'm sorry, Duo. Trowa has been pointing out to me what a poor friend I've been," he said quietly contrite. "And you know, he's right. Until now." He then squared his shoulders, showing his resolution. "I swear by my honor that I'll be here for you. I'll be a better friend than I've ever been before. Even if I have to quit my job and sleep on your front porch, I'll be here when you need me."

Duo brought the quilt up to rest underneath his chin, and after a moment, he nodded his head in acceptance of Wufei's vow.

"No need to sleep on the porch, dear." Mrs Lunderson's voice called out from the room below. Three sets of eyes shifted to observe her as she moved towards them from the kitchen.

"This is a five bedroom house, and I have two other rooms to rent. If you feel the need to be closer, you can have one of those." she told Wufei.

Trowa observed his landlady, realizing she'd probably heard much of their conversation and argument and had been piecing together the horrible betrayals Duo had endured.

Wufei looked to Duo first. "Is that alright with you, Duo? Would it be alright if I moved in here for awhile to help out?" he asked. Again Duo slowly nodded, his face blank of emotion.

Turning on the step to look at Trowa, Wufei's gaze lit on the tall auburn hair man. "Trowa?" he asked in way of permission.

"I won't ask it of you Wufei," he replied. "But if you're offering out of friendship, then I would appreciate the help," he added, feeling relief at having someone strong enough to help with the unforseen burdens that would come.

Wufei managed a small smile and turned back to the elderly landlady. "Is tomorrow too soon?" he asked.

"Not at all." She smiled back, looking a bit relieved herself.

"Then I better go." He took the remaining steps up to Duo and startled the other three watching him as he leaned forward to kiss his forehead. "I'll be back tomorrow, Duo," he promised. "And I'll bring some popcorn and videos to watch, alright?"

He didn't turn away until Duo nodded, then he all but flew down the stairs and clasped a hand on Trowa's shoulder. "I'll be back by noon," he told him. "And I'll make that call we talked about."

Trowa saw him to the door and watched him leave. He then turned off the porch light and locked the door before turning back.

"You look tired, dear." Mrs. L looked at his with soft concern on her face. "Better turn in."

He nodded and made his way up the stairs. Duo still stood at the top watching his progress. When he reached the top, Duo's free hand came up and grabbed hold of his shirt, locking it in his fist. He now held Trowa and the bed quilt as security blankets.

"Lets go to bed," Trowa said and moved towards the other's room. Duo only seemed to move by the pull of Trowa's body, and not of his own accord. They entered his room, but Duo made it perfectly clear that he wasn't going to be left alone again. No matter of asking or cajoling would get him to loosen his grip on Trowa's shirt. Finally fatigue won out.

"Do you want to sleep with me tonight?" Trowa asked, already sensing the answer.

*Nod*

They shuffled together off to the other bedroom, and on his own let go of the shirt as Trowa drew back the covers on the right side of the queen-size bed and sat him down. "Just lie down here while I get undressed, okay?"

He let Trowa ease him down and cover him again, which was awkward as he still had his own bed quilt clutched in his hands, apparently he'd become quite attached to it, and refused to let go his tight grasp. Trowa finally settled for arranging it around him, then turned and began to undress.

Dressed in his blue flannel pajama bottom and a plain dark blue t-shirt, he made a quick trip to the bathroom, assuring Duo he'd return momentarily.

He never thought his bed would feel so good until he climbed between the soft cotton sheets, exhausted physically and emotionally. Immediately as he settled, he found Duo pressed up against him, seeming to need contact for warmth and comfort. With a huge yawn, Trowa raised his arms up and pulled the smaller body against his shoulder. Duo's free hand came up to clutch steadfastly to his t-shirt.

It took a good five minutes for the two of them to relax their bodies, then Trowa registered the fact that Duo's breathing had evened out in a pattern indicating sleep. He reflected how similar this position was to how he and Quatre slept together, and he felt a stab of guilt. Quatre was not going to like this arrangement. Even though they'd lived separate lives for the past two years, he had remained faithful to the blond, never taking on a more convenient lover. The main reason was pure and simple, he loved him. With all his heart he loved the sensitive Arabian, and no other could ever come close to what he felt for him. Yes, he'd been angry at him because of Duo, but he knew in his heart that the anger could never stay long. He could no sooner permanently part from Quatre than he could stop breathing and still live. How this was all going to work out? He hadn't a clue. He decided it would be best to take it a day at a time.

With Duo's warmth pressed against his side and weariness weighing heavily upon him, he fell into a deep sleep, and let his worries have at least a night's rest.

He rose early in the morning and slipped out of Duo's clutches. After a quick visit to the restroom, he joined Mrs. L. in the kitchen where he could here her moving about with the sound of water and pot being set out to prepare breakfast. In a short time, he had filled her in on everything he felt she needed to know about Duo. Her eyes were bright with unshed tears as he told her of Duo's condition in the prison.

"Oh that poor boy," she whispered with sympathetic horror.

"I'm going to call a doctor we knew from the war and see if she can recommend someone to see Duo. He's going to need more help than what we can give him," he told her.

She nodded in agreement as she absently poured more tea into their half filled cups.

Just then, a thump against the ceiling alerted them. Since Duo was the only one upstairs, they assumed he was awake. Trowa stood and quickly moved to leave the room.

"I'll have breakfast ready in ten minutes," she called after him.

"Thank you, Mrs. L.," he yelled back as he bounded up the stairs.

To his surprise, Duo wasn't in the bedroom, nor did he find him in the bathroom or the other upstair's rooms

"Duo!" he called out, feeling a spark of panic rise in his chest.

A slight sound in his room drew Trowa back there, and he began to search the hidden areas. He found Duo pressed face down underneath the bed, the quilt from his bed still pulled against him as his wide frightened eyes peeked over the edge of it.

"Come out, Duo." Trowa gently entreated him. "Mrs. L.'s cooking breakfast. Let's get cleaned up, alright?

It took several minutes of coaxing and reassuring before he inched his way out from under the mattresses. Trowa sat him on the bed, quilt still pressed to his chest, and Duo's eyes went to the bags next to the dresser.

"Those are the new clothes Wufei brought yesterday, remember?" Trowa asked. He moved over to them and brought them to the bed. "You pick out what you want to wear today," he instructed the messy haired person in front of him.

Duo hesitated, his eyes returning to Trowa's constantly for reassurance that it was okay to touch the packages. He eventually pulled out a pair of dark blue, cotton knit sweat pants with white stripes down the outsides of the legs, and a dark green tee-shirt with a dark blue and white picture of a surfer on the back of it.

Trowa helped him dress, seeing it was difficult for Duo with his injured arm pulled up tightly to his left side and the quilt clutched in his right hand up to his chest. After a bit of coaxing they managed quite well. Putting their sleeping garments under their individual pillows, Trowa turned to him. "Hungry?"

*nod*

"Well, we don't want to be late for breakfast, do we?"

Duo shook his head.

Mrs. L. fed them eggs, bacon, juice and biscuits for breakfast, and he knew if Duo continued to eat as well as he had that morning, they'd have his weight put back on in no time.

After the meal, he prepared a bubble bath for the silent young man, remembering Duo had always preferred them when he had a choice. With a thoughtful smile he remembered the hours the Deathscythe pilot spent locked in the bathroom with the hot water trickling to keep the temperature warm as he read a book in a reclined position.

But now, there was no change in Duo's facial expression as he was stripped of his new clothes and told to get into the bath, but Trowa detected a slight sparkle in his eye he hadn't seen for a long time when Duo sat down amongst the cloud of bubbles that tickled and popped against his skin.

The phone rang downstairs and Trowa could vaguely hear Mrs. L. answer. A moment later, she called up the stairs that it was Wufei calling for him.

He looked down at Duo with his messy, tangled mop of hair, his hand scooping up bubbles and studying them.

"Duo," the violet-tinted eyes looked up at him with anticipation. "I'll be back in a minuet. Will you be okay?" he asked, fully prepared to stay if the answer was no.

After a brief nod, Duo went back to studying his bubbles.

Trowa rushed out the door and down the hall, all but flying down the stairs.

"What?" he said as his greeting.

"Trowa?" Wufei asked slightly puzzled.

"I left him in the bathtub, what do you need," he asked quickly.

"I just wanted to know if I could bring Sally to check Duo over when I bring my belongings over this afternoon.

"You read my mind," he told him, slightly amazed they were on the same wavelength.

"It's okay then?" he reaffirmed what he thought Trowa had said.

"Yeah, bring her over. You might want to prepare her though." 

"Alright." Wufei's voice sounded grim. "Anything else?"

He thought for a moment the answered. "Yeah......"

TBC


	5. Web 5

Disclaimer: I don't own GW nor its boys, nor profit from my writing about them

Web of Betrayal

Part 5, Betrayal Diagnosed

Dyna Dee

warnings: A much shorter chapter this time, other than that, what else? Angst!

An hour after the start of Duo's bath, Trowa and Duo, with the quilt that the taller of the two was beginning to mentally refer to as "that damn quilt", entered the kitchen where Mrs. L. had a brush, comb, scissors and hair products sitting on the table with one of the kitchen chairs set aside from the table in anticipation of attacking the tangled mass of hair on Duo's head. Trowa guided him to sit. Over the top of the wet, mangled mess, Mrs. L. and he exchanged a wary but determined look shared by comrades in arms. They were about to enter enemy territory.

Wufei arrived around one o'clock, just after they'd finished lunch. Trowa brought Duo out from the kitchen to greet both Wufei and Sally who both looked at the former Deathscythe pilot bearing opposite reactions on their faces; Sally looked at him with undisguised alarm at his appearance and Wufei smiled at it, acknowledging the now straight, shoulder length and untangled head of chestnut hair. He approached Duo with the smile still on his face.

"That looks so much better." He reached up to touch the silky-looking mass only to have Duo flinch at the movement. He quickly withdrew his hand, looking apologetic. 

"I'm sorry, Duo. I should have asked first," he said quickly.

Duo looked embarrassed, his cheeks slightly flushed.

"It's a lot longer than I thought it was," the Chinese man commented, hoping to smooth over the awkward moment.

"It took two hours." Mrs. L. told him looking at the now smooth hair in wonder of their accomplishment.

"You'll be able to pull it back soon." Wufei smiled at him, and got a small nod in response. He relaxed, feeling Duo was more at ease now. Wufei observed that his smaller friend looked much less traumatized with his hair in order than he had previously. His eyes looked down, taking in the large quilt clasped in Duo's right hand and held against his chest. He looked up to Trowa questioningly.

For security, the auburn haired man replied silently with his lips from behind the person in question.

Wufei's mouth formed an "O" and he turned to allow Sally to come closer. As she did, some of the shock of Duo's obvious condition having worn off, her eyes took in every detail of his physical condition as she could. Her smile was genuine as she spoke to him. "Hello, Duo. It's been a long time. How are you?"

Duo looked nervously at Trowa, then turned his eyes to Mrs. L., and then to Wufei.

"He can answer if you ask questions where the answer is a simple a yes or a no," Trowa told her.

Sally nodded. "It's good to see you, Duo," she began again. "Are you well?"

He hesitated, then gave a non-committal shrug. He then leaned to the side to peer past her to the black round-topped case that sat on the floor by the front door as well as the two suitcases, and a shopping bag.

Wufei answered the unasked question. "Trowa asked me to pick up a couple of things for you.

There was a look of hesitation on Duo's face. The Duo of old would have bounded over to the bag with joy and enthusiasm at the idea of a surprise, but now he looked almost fearful of moving in that direction. 

"Want to see what's in it?" Wufei gently teased knowing he did, and was rewarded with a nod and a hint of a faint sparkle in those large, magnificent orbs. Duo moved back, turning slightly to grab hold of Trowa's shirt and waited for him to pull him in the direction of the purchases.

Once they stood over them, they looked together at the contents of the large plastic bags below them. Trowa smiled appreciatively, Wufei had gotten all that he'd asked for and more. Out of the largest bag came three good-sized squirt guns, three packages of water balloons, six cans of silly string and a Nerf football.

Duo's eyes went wider as each item was pulled out of the seemingly endless bag of fun-filled treasures.

"Looks like we're going to have some fun." Trowa smiled warmly at his friend.

Duo nodded enthusiastically, but Trowa was disappointed in not seeing him smile. He pointed to the squirt guns as he spoke. "You can have your pick, and we'll have a battle," he told him. "But first, Sally is going to check you over and make sure you're alright."

A look of unease flashed across his face instantly. He clutched Trowa's shirt again as well as the long, dragging quilt. "You know she won't hurt you." Trowa spoke calmly, trying to reassure him. "She always helped us during the war, remember? We can trust her."

His eyes nervously shifted to the doctor they'd relied on for years. Duo pulled closer to his protector, his eyes imploring.

"Do you want me to stay while she examines you?" Trowa asked, not willing to let his friend's pitiful, silent appeals get him out of the necessary medical exam.

A vigorous nod was Duo's reply.

"Alright." Trowa smiled and patted the smaller man's shoulder gently in approval. "We'll go to my room and Wufei can start loading the water rifles."

He motioned Sally to follow them up the stairs, and with Duo holding steadfastly to his shirt and the quilt, dragging dangerously around their feet as it trailed behind him. Trowa made a mental note to himself to do something about that much abused piece of material before it was ruined or Duo was hurt from tripping on it.

Mrs. L turned to Wufei as he watched their progress up the stairs with a concerned look on his face. "Have you had lunch yet, dear?" she asked him.

"Yes," he replied. "Sally and I stopped for lunch after I picked her up," he added without taking his eyes off the disappearing feet.

Mrs. L. approached him and laid her soft wrinkled hand on his arm. "I'm sure he's going to be alright. It's going to take time and patience," she smiled gently. "But with two friends at his side, such as you and Trowa, how can he fail but to get better?"

Wufei gave a small, genuine smile to the kind woman who had so much confidence in them. "It just seems so......wrong to see Duo like this," he said sadly. "He was always such a force of energy and enthusiasm." A wistful look crossed his face as he continued. "I don't think I ever appreciated it though, not until I saw how he'd changed. I never realized how much I missed him these last few years."

The elderly lady nodded in understanding. "Trowa has often spoken of the four of you with fondness," she told him. "His description of Duo seems so different from the boy upstairs."

"Has he told you what's happened to cause him to be this way?" he asked, studying her face.

She nodded sadly. "Yes, he told me." Her eyes began to water. "That poor boy. He's going to need all the love and comfort we can give him."

Wufei looked thoughtfully up the now empty stairs towards the upper landing. "Those feelings are quite foreign to me, Mrs. L." he replied. "I hope I won't do more harm than good to him."

"Trowa is an excellent example of those traits and more." She smiled warmly at his worry. "Let him be your guide."

The former gundam pilot nodded, and took in a deep cleansing breath, and in with the new breath of air came a sense of determination to not fail either of his friends.

"Why don't you take your bags to your room," she suggested, bringing him out of his inward thoughts. "First door on the right is the bathroom, and the door next to it will be your room," she instructed. "Come down after you finish and I'll have some tea prepared for you."

Picking up his two suitcases, he climbed the stairs and made his way to the room the elderly woman had described. He opened the door to the designated room and noticed immediately the feminine touches, so unfamiliar to him. The double bed was covered with a multi-colored quilt, done in repeating geometric patterns in various shades of blue, yellow, green. There was a bedside table that was draped with an eggshell colored, tatted lace tablecloth, and topped by an etched glass lamp with an off-white fringe on the edge of the shade.

The quilt topping the bed had obviously been crafted by hand by an expert seamstress, done in varying shades of blue with a yellow accent. A picture on the wall looked like an impressionist's seascape, giving the room an acceptable feel of masculinity with a trace of the touch of a woman's hand. He was pleased with his room, and set his bags down next to the dresser. Within five minutes he was unpacked and headed down the stairs to the kitchen.

Two cups of steeping tea were already sitting on the table. He sat and smiled his thanks to the elderly lady just as the phone rang. She eased herself up and scurried into the living room.

"Hello?" Wufei could her aged voice speak into the receiver.

"Yes, Mr. Quatre. Yes, he's here, but I'm afraid he can't come to the phone right now." There was a short pause before she spoke again. "Yes, he's here, too. " Another pause. "No, I don't think that would be a good idea right now. Things are a bit unsettled here." Quatre was obviously fishing for information. "He's doing fairly well under the circumstances. No, he hasn't mentioned you in any way. Alright, I'll tell him you called. Goodbye."

Wufei hear the phone receiver replaced, and a moment later Mrs. L. returned to the table and her tea.

"What did Quatre want?" he asked her as she took a slow sip of the slightly sweetened tea.

"He wants to come for a visit," she answered looking at the young man seated across from her.

Wufei sat back in his seat. "I called him this morning to tell him Trowa paroled Duo and wanted him to stay away for the time being," he informed her.

"It would seem he doesn't believe Trowa is serious," she said as she set her cup down into the matching saucer.

Silence filled the kitchen as they both sat in contemplation.

"Quatre is a good person," Wufei said thoughtfully. "He and Duo were very close once, but I don't know, something must have come between them for Quatre not to have fought to defend Duo, even against his family's wishes."

"Do you think he'd be traumatized further if Mr. Quatre came here?" she asked.

Wufei blew air out through his lips as he shook his head. "I don't know," he answered. "But given Duo's precarious emotional state, I don't think we should risk it."

They finished their tea and Wufei went to the bags containing the squirt guns and took them out of their packages. He went out the front door and used the hose at the side of the house to fill all three, then sat them, ready for play, on the front porch.

A half hour from when they went up the stairs, the three emerged from Trowa's room and came down to the living room. Duo looked a bit worse for wear as his eyes were red rimmed and his quilt was held to his chest with both hands. Trowa gripped his elbow and led him towards the couch.

"Bring him to the clinic Sunday morning at ten-thirty for the x-rays." Sally was telling Trowa. "No one will be there but myself and an x-ray technician. You and Wufei have keys to the building so entry shouldn't be a problem. I'll call tomorrow with the lab results."

When they finally sat on the couch, Trowa placed himself in the corner and drew the shaken young man into his arms in a sheltering embrace.

Sally, Wufei and Mrs. L. looked on with concern. "I know that was stressful for you, Duo." Sally spoke to him in a soft, compassionate tone. "But you did very well. We'll have you feeling better in no time at all." She smiled at him. Duo didn't move as Trowa held him firmly, letting him know he was being guarded.

Sally moved forward and very slowly leaned over and kissed the top of Duo's head. "I'm glad you're back," she said as she straightened. "I missed you." She placed her hand on the place she just kissed and felt the softness of his hair. 

She then looked to Wufei. "I'm going to take this to the lab now and get it processed as soon as possible."

"Would you please put it under a fictitious name?" Trowa asked.

"Is that really necessary?" she asked with a frown.

"There are people who might wish to know about Duo's return," he replied while his hand stroked the shoulder of the body pressed against him. "And I'd just as soon make it harder for them to gain any information from Preventer files."

"But the files on you five are sealed," she stated with a confidence that spoke of her belief in the system.

"Someone got a hold of those files and sent them to the judge on L-4 and warden of P.C. 4," he told her. "That breach of security is what caused Duo to suffer more then he should have."

Sally's eyes widened in disbelief at the news, and she looked to Wufei for confirmation.

"It's true," he replied, trusting her completely. "Relena sent it with a cover letter signed by herself and Heero asking for no mercy for Duo."

The doctor now looked horrified by the added information of betrayal.

"Wufei!" Trowa's voice barked in a tone of a rebuke. Wufei turned from Sally to see what the matter was when he saw that Duo's body was trembling in Trowa's embrace, his face now buried against his chest, the quilt held up to hide his face.

Realizing his mistake, the Chinese man quickly moved to his friend's side and sat on the couch next to him. "Oh Duo, I'm so sorry," he said with anguish on his face and in his voice at his mistake. "I thought he knew." he said as he looked into Trowa's scowling face.

"Just because he's silent doesn't mean he's deaf." Trowa's voice was sharp and clipped.

"I'm sorry," Wufei repeated, feeling horrible at his mistake. Then, not knowing what else to do, he reached out to his friend and slowly brought his body closer, placing his chest against Duo's back and wrapping his arm around him and gave him a firm hug, pressing his lips up to the back of Duo's head.

"It doesn't matter what happened Duo," he whispered against the brown, burnished hair. "I'm here and Trowa's here. Feel the warmth of our bodies, the strength of our arms around you. We won't let anyone ever hurt you again. I swear this to you."

Then after a moment, he slowly disengaged himself and stood, and continued to look down on the long-haired boy. Slowly the blanket lowered and Duo turned his head to let his pained looking and red eyes search out his Chinese friend. Wufei gave him a reassuring smile, even though the sad, wounded eyes peering over the blanket nearly broke his heart.

"I'm going to call a taxi," Sally announced softly. She held her hand up to Wufei as he turned to protest. "I've got a feeling you are needed here," she told him. "I don't mind, really." She smiled to prove her words.

"Thank you, Sally." Wufei tried smiling back.

Ten minutes later he was waving farewell to her from the sidewalk as the taxi drove away. Turning back to the house, he let his eyes roam over its surface and contemplated the complicated situation inside. With a resolute step, he entered the house that was to be his home for a while, and accepted whatever challenges lay ahead.

Duo remained silent and skittish for the next couple of days as the four people living in the house adjusted to a new routine.

Sunday morning found the three former Gundam pilots in the nearly deserted parking garage adjacent to the Preventer's Headquarters.

Duo sat in the back seat of the small car next to Wufei. His arms and legs touched the Chinese boy's body for reassurance, his new, smaller quilt that Mr. L. had given him in order to save the large bed quilt from being ruined by being dragged around, was clutched firmly in one hand, while the other clutched the front of Wufei's jacket.

Trowa turned off the engine and turned around to smile at the nervous looking young man.

"Alright Duo, we're here. And just like we explained, we're going to go through those doors," he pointed to the two side doors of the large building. "And take the elevator to the third floor clinic. Sally is going to take x-rays of your arms and legs to see if they healed correctly. Do you understand?"

The brunet nodded, his eyes wide with trepidation. 

"I'll be with you," he reassured him.

Duo tugged on Wufei's jacket. "I'm coming too, Duo. But I need to go to my desk for a few minutes to let Une know I'm taking some time off."

Trowa opened his door and got out, then opened the back door. "Come on, Duo," he said with a reassuring smile. "Let's get this over with, then we can stop somewhere for hamburgers and shakes."

Sunday was the slowest day of the week for the Administrative Offices of the Preventers. They met only two people performing janitorial services as they climbed the stairs to the third floor. A knock on the clinic door was answered shortly after by Sally. Her smile was warm and welcoming as she let them in and led them to the back of the clinic and into a cold room with a large apparatus that stood next to an exam table covered with paper. A young woman in her late twenties stood by the machine with a smile on her face.

"Fellas," Sally spoke to them. "This is Janine, she's the X-ray technician."

Trowa and Wufei nodded to the woman as their form of greeting.

Janine smiled warmly. "Let's get the patient on the table and we'll take some pictures," she instructed them in a gentle voice, then stood back and waited to them to move.

Wufei stepped towards the table, Duo still clinging to his jacket. Trowa followed closely, and as they stood in front of the table, he helped to pry Duo's hand from off Wufei's jacket.

The Chinese Preventer looked at Duo as he spoke. "I'll be back in ten minutes," he told him. "Don't leave without me, okay?" he teased, then quickly turned away from his friend's pleading eyes that urged him not to leave.

With a nod to Trowa, he quickly left the clinic and took the stairs up to the fifth floor and moved to the office he shared with another investigative Preventer, Jared Morrison, a nice enough guy who, fortunately, had most of his assignments in the field.

Powering up his computer, he sat at his desk and began to compose his letter to Une. She wouldn't be happy about him taking a leave of absence, but after only a couple of days with Trowa and Duo, it was clear that the former Deathscythe pilot could not be left alone and that Trowa would need all the help he could get. He also decided that he owed this time to Duo for his earlier neglect.

He typed up his request and printed out two copies before saving it and e-mailing it to Lady Une. Quickly filing his copy in his personal file drawer, he closed down his computer and turned it off. His in-box had several papers in it, and out of habit, he went through it. Many of the items were office memos of little importance to him. Locking his office, he turned to head towards Une's office, the second copy of his letter in hand, but stopped short as he passed Trowa's office.

He could hear sounds coming from within. He moved closer to the door and identified the sound as the keys on a computer being rapidly struck. Trowa had a smaller office and he didn't share with anyone, so Wufei's suspicious mind was greatly aroused. Through the frosted glass on the door, he could see a figure sitting at Trowa's desk. The intruder was wearing a white shirt and had dark hair. He reached for the door knob and slowly turned it to find it unlocked. With that determined, he quickly opened it.

Two sets of dark colored eyes met each other, both surprised by the other's presence

"What the hell are you doing here Heero?" 

TBC


	6. Web 6

Web of Betrayal

Part 6, Evidence of Betrayal

By: Dyna Dee

Disclaimer and warning on first page of fic.

Warnings: yaoi, angst, some language.

"What the hell are you doing here Heero? " Wufei asked in a stern tone, his eyes narrowed with suspicion as he questioned the former Wing pilot sitting in Trowa's desk with the computer on in front of him.

Heero quickly lowered the page he'd been viewing so that it was no longer visible, then turned to face the Chinese man.

"It's nothing you need to concern yourself with, Wufei." He answered in his usual unemotional tone of voice.

"I think it is my concern." Wufei contradicted. "I know for a fact that Trowa hasn't given you permission to use either his office or his computer."

Now Heero's eyes narrowed. "Since when did you and Trowa come to be on good terms with each other?" he asked. "As far as I've determined, he's pretty much ostracized himself from the rest of us for the last two years."

"Trowa and I have formed a working relationship over the last two years, and that's merged recently into a friendship again." The black haired Preventer answered as he folded his arms over his chest in obvious disapproval of the other person in the room.

"He's made it clear he wants little to do with me outside his job," Heero said, his voice contained a noticeable touch of bitterness to it. 

"Well, he has his reasons," Wufei replied as he casually moved towards the desk. "Why are you here and what are you doing?" he motioned to the computer.

"A personal matter," was his answer.

"Listen Yuy, you've got plenty of computers at your palace. Why come here?" Curiosity and suspicion were mounting within Wufei's mind.

Heero shifted in his seat, uncomfortable with the question. "I needed some privacy for my research. At the palace I have neither time nor privacy for such a task."

"Are you being monitored?" Wufei asked, guessing at the few hints Heero was giving him. The Wing Pilot had never been one to reveal information easily.

Heero nodded.

"All the time?"

Another nod.

The former Shenlong Pilot knew something more was going on here than what his friend was saying. Heero, husband of the Vice Foreign Minister was constantly monitored? He had to wonder if it was for personal security or some other reason.

Heero must have seen the wheels moving in his mind, because his next words were, "Don't ask Wufei. I can't say anymore."

Now the Preventer's curiosity was definitely roused, but he decided to honor Heero's request to let it go for, at least for the moment.

"Well since you're using Trowa's computer, unauthorized I might add, you won't mind sharing what you were looking at, will you?" He reached over to the mouse, only to have his wrist grabbed tightly by the other.

"Don't Wufei." Heero's manner was harsh, but his eyes pleaded with him.

"Either you show me what you're looking at or I'll place you under arrest for unlawful entry and unauthorized use of government property."

"I came in through the front door and I'm still a Preventer." Heero calmly reminded him, trying to dissuade him from the actions he'd suggested.

"Inactive." The other clarified, showing that he knew Heero's status. "I grow more suspicious by the moment Heero. Show me the page you were viewing," he demanded sternly.

"Wufei, trust me," Heero asked, suddenly looking vulnerable.

The black haired Chinese shook his head. "I can't Heero. You haven't proven to me in several years why I should."

At this Heero's eyes widened. "What have I done to deserve your distrust?" he asked, obviously taken aback.

"Some things have come to light lately that lead me to be wary of your motives and question your integrity."

"You question my honor?" Heero gasped and his eyes widened in disbelief.

"I do."

The man once held in high honor for saving the planet now sat back in Trowa's chair looking like he'd been sucker punched. "Alright." He let go of the other's wrist. "But let me explain before you come to any conclusions."

Wufei reached for the mouse and with a click and drag, lifted the page that Heero had tried to hide. He frowned darkly as he immediately recognized it. It was the sealed records of the five pilots.

"You cannot imagine just how bad this makes you look Heero." The onyx eyes sparkled with anger.

"Listen," Heero rushed uncharacteristically to explain. "Quatre called me at the beginning of the week. He was worried about Trowa. Evidently he'd taken two weeks off from work and didn't tell him where he was going. Une wouldn't tell him anything and, if you'll remember, you didn't know either when we both made separate calls to you. His landlady was just as forthcoming. This was the first chance I could get away from Relena undetected, and I hacked into Preventer's files to see if Une had put a note on his file as to where he'd gone. For all I knew he could have been assigned to a covert mission."

"You haven't talked to Quatre since then?" he asked.

Heero shook his head. "Why, has he found Trowa? He was suppose to call me when he did."

"He's been informed of his whereabouts." Wufei cryptically replied, then gazed searchingly at his former comrade in arms. "How often have you done this Heero, snuck into the office to obtain information from the computer for your own use?"

"Only a couple of times," the former Wing Zero pilot confessed with a look of guilt.

"Have you ever printed out or copied any information that would prove to be detrimental to either the Preventers or us pilots?"

"Dammit, Wufei." Heero's anger was rising. "What do you think I've done?"

Wufei reached around Heero and shut down the computer. "Only the worst thing a man could do," he answered, his face dark with anger. "Betray your friends."

"What the hell do you mean?" Heero jumped to his feet, fists clenched in reaction to his former comrade's words. His whole demeanor had changed as his eyes sparkled with anger and he bristled with a need to lash back at his accuser. 

Wufei ignored his volatile state and calmly walked to the door of the office and held it open. "I suggest you leave. Now!" he said forcefully, not taking his eyes off his former friend's livid face. "I'll report this incident to Lady Une and she can deal with your personally."

"Not until you explain yourself," Heero demanded through clenched teeth.

"If you promise to leave peaceably, I'll give you a clue," he answered. He knew if he and Heero got into a fight, one of them might be seriously hurt, and it wouldn't end quickly. His time to return to the clinic was past, and he didn't want Trowa with Duo in tow to come looking for him only to find him fighting with Heero.

Heero thought about it for a moment, then nodded as he moved towards the open door. He stopped and his eyes met Wufei's for a moment, waiting for an explanation.

"Two years ago you and Relena signed a letter attached to documents that were labeled sealed, restricted and confidential."

Heero's brows pinched together in thought over the years in which he'd signed a lot of documents, but without more information, he didn't know what Wufei was referring to.

"Those documents were obtained illegally and proved to be very harmful to a third party," Wufei added, his eyes boring into Heero for a reaction.

"I don't know what documents you're referring to, Wufei," he told him, clearly agitated. "Just tell me."

Locking Trowa's office behind them, the former Shenlong pilot looked pointedly at the other. "Figure it out Yuy, or are you such a calloused SOB that you can't remember what happened two years ago?" With that said, Wufei turned and walked away in the direction of Une's office, his letter requesting a leave of absence still in his hand. If he'd chanced to turn around at that moment, he'd have seen an uncharacteristically crest-fallen young man with eyes full of hurt.

Slipping the official letter into the letter drop next to the Head of Preventer's door, Wufei then proceeded to the stairwell on the opposite end of the building from which he'd come, taking a round about route to the clinic. Five minutes later, he reached the clinic's door. Finding it locked, he knocked for entrance. Sally opened it to reveal Duo and Trowa sitting in the waiting room, ready to leave. They stood as he entered.

"How'd it go?" Wufei asked, referring to the x-rays.

"Fine." Sally chirped brightly with a smile of approval directed towards Duo standing close to Trowa, his hand fisting the taller young man's tan jacket. "I'll take them to a friend of mine at the hospital to read and get back to you tonight or tomorrow with the results.

"Thank you, Sally." Wufei reached out and gently touched her arm in a gesture of gratitude.

"My pleasure," she beamed, answering in her low, pleasing voice.

Trowa moved forward, Duo obliging by letting his body be pulled along. With a word of farewell to the doctor, they retraced their steps back down through the building to the car.

"You were gone a long time," Trowa commented casually. "Any problems?"

"Ran into someone I hadn't thought I'd see here, especially in your office and on your computer," he answered.

Trowa's head turned sharply to look at the other former pilot over Duo's head and silently mouthed the words, "Quatre?"

"No." Wufei replied, giving his friend a look of don't ask now by shifting his eyes to Duo.

Understanding, Trowa led Duo to the car and helped him climb in, his eyes scanning the parking garage before he himself sat behind the steering wheel. "Alright, who wants burgers?" he asked, and turning around, he saw Duo's hand rise in answer.

The rest of the day passed pleasantly enough. The promised phone call came that evening and brought with it news that Duo's right leg and his left arm required re-constructive surgery. It had been increasingly apparent during the last week that the silent young man limped and favored is right leg, and that he never fully straightened his arm and kept it pulled up close to his side. Both of his self-appointed guardians decided to not deal with the problem or tell Duo about it until after he'd regained his health, gained some weight, and had seen the therapist Sally recommended.

Several more quiet days passed as they continued in the daily routine. Both able-bodied young men helped their newly returned friend to bathe, dress, and move up and down the stairs. They all worked with Mrs. L. in preparing the meals and tending to household tasks. A good part of the afternoon was spent in play. Duo had always loved the outdoors and physical activity. However, his leg and arm prevented him from engaging in any kind of physical sport the others tried to engage him in. They ultimately ended up renting paddle boats and tandem bicycles at the local lake and went swimming in the pool at Trowa's gym. Each activity allowed their battered and weaker friend to disengage from the activity if he felt pain or weariness. In the late evenings when the weather cooled, the three took a casual, easy stroll through the neighborhood.

As each day progressed, Duo became more at ease. He only clutched their shirts when he was startled or in a place or situation he was unsure of or unfamiliar with. His smile began to emerge a little more each day. 

The only security they couldn't talk him out of was climbing into Trowa's bed nightly. Trowa purchased a night light for Duo's room, hoping that was the solution to his nocturnal journey into his bed. But even then, the reclaimed and tenacious young man woke nightly and with his smaller blanket in hand, made his way to Trowa's comforting arms. Once he was settled, he would then latch on and sleep soundly, pressed up against his chosen living security blanket and bed-partner.

The days passed from the trip to the Preventers headquarters. Wufei had spoken to Une after Trowa had taken Duo out for ice cream about Heero's hacking into their files. She promised to speak to him in such a manner that a repeat of his actions would have legal ramifications. It seemed the head of the Preventers was hesitant to bring any harsher legal action against the Vice Foreign Minister's husband.

Color began to return to Duo's face as the outdoor activity brought a golden glow to his skin, and a pinking of a sunburn on his nose and cheeks gave him a healthier appearance. More of his personality emerged slowly, and the three who took care of him watched it with a sense of relief.

On the evening marking a week since his x-ray, Wufei sat at the table with Duo as his silent friend ate his desert and he read the remaining part of the Sunday paper. Because his own piece of chocolate cake and cup of tea were placed before him, he positioned the newspaper straight up in front of him as he read, temporarily obscuring his view of his companion.

Having finished one article, he set the paper down to pick up his fork. He looked at the spot in confusion. He was sure he'd set a fork out for himself and Duo before he sat down. He looked across the table and sure enough, Duo was happily eating his cake with a fork.

Shrugging, he got up and got another from the silverware drawer and returned to his seat. He took a bite of the moist and delicious chocolate cake, a sip of his tea, then smiled at Duo as their eyes met. He then raised the paper to continue reading.

Several minutes later, he lowered the paper and blinked at his dessert. The fork he'd left there on his plate was gone. Frowning, he looked around the plate and table and scooted his chair back to check his lap and the floor. "What the....?" he began to ask. With a quick look at Duo, he determined the other had just finished his cake and was drinking the tall glass of milk that was set out for him, his fork rested neatly on the empty place that had been thoroughly scraped clean.

Huffing at the mystery, he stood up and got yet another fork, feeling perplexed and irritated by the incident. He took another couple of bites, purposely setting the fork down next to his plate, drank half of his cooling tea, then returned to his paper. Several minutes passed with only the sound of the seconds ticking on the old clock above the sink. Putting his paper down again, he looked in amazement at his place setting. Not only was his fork gone, but so was the remainder of his cake and tea. He narrowed his eyes in suspicion and gave a playful glare at the only other person in the room.

"Duo," he said in a mock threatening voice, completely failing as his smile refused to be contained. "Have you been playing your old tricks on me?" he asked.

The chestnut haired young man looked up with an answering grin. He then opened his lips to show his friend his teeth purposely covered in chocolate cake and frosting. Slowly, his hand raised from under the table showing Wufei the three pilfered forks.

Wufei couldn't help it, he leaned back and laughed out loud for a moment then looked at his friend, his eyes narrowing playfully. "You know what this calls for, don't you?"

Duo shook his head as he quickly washed away the chocolate in his mouth with the remainder of his milk. His wide eyes looked at his friend in anticipation.

"It calls for....." Wufei paused for a dramatic affect, then raised his hands up like claws. "The Tickle Avenger." It was one of the characters Duo used to call himself during their time together in the first war when he retaliated on the other pilots for one reason or another.

The blue-violet eyes widened further, then he jumped up and quickly hobbled towards the living room. He actually made it to the couch before Wufei caught up to him, grabbed him by the waist and carefully tossed him onto the couch. "You can't escape the Tickle Avenger," he announced in a loud puffed up voice. "For he seeks out justice on practical joke-making imps," he declared loudly. Then seeing the smile on Duo's face and the glistening in his eyes, he began his job as The Avenger.

After several moments of tickling, they were both surprised when Duo's throat emitted a scratchy, hoarse bark that was Duo's laughter.

Wufei stopped, poised above the his small friend. "Duo." he said in a hushed whisper. "I heard that." The boy under his finger torture looked equally surprised and reached up and grabbed Wufei's sensitive sides, causing him to laugh at the sensation as he tried to wiggle away.

That was the scene Mrs. L and Trowa walked into with their armfuls of clean laundry. They both stood in shock at the scratchy, raspy sound of Duo's laughter, barely heard over Wufei's.

"Duo!" Trowa finally managed to find his voice and instantly both ticklers stopped to look at him, both young men wore ridiculously happy smiles on their faces.

"You laughed....out loud!" Trowa said unable and unwilling to keep the grin on his own face from growing. "When did this happen? Just now?"

"Right after this practical joker pulled one on me." Wufei answered, his face was open and happier than Trowa had ever remembered seeing it before.

Mrs. L. put her armful of laundry down on a chair sitting against the stair wall. "I want to hear all about it," she said with a warm smile, then moved to sit in her rocking chair, waiting for the story to commence.

Wufei told the story of the missing forks. The three laughed out loud at the end of the tale. Duo smiled broadly, something they really hadn't seen before this night, and as the strange sound that was his laughter came out of his throat, his hand came up and grabbed his neck.

Mrs. L. was the first to notice and looked concerned. "Does you throat hurt dear?" she asked him.

He nodded in reply.

"We better have Sally take a look at it, maybe you strained it after not using it for so long.

Duo shrugged, not having any other way to communicate.

Trowa felt a sense of happiness that he hadn't truly felt since Duo's arrest. He slung his arm around his friend and gave him a joy-filled hug. "It's wonderful to hear you laugh again, Duo. I hope to hear you speak soon also." He patted the slender shoulder affectionately. "But no rush, just whenever you're ready, okay?"

Again a nod, and Trowa and Wufei exchanged a satisfied look of accomplishment. The Duo they knew was coming back to them a little bit everyday.

That night Trowa gave up the pretense of Duo starting out and sleeping in his own bed. After they were both dressed for the night, they crawled into the large bed, and within moments, the smaller body had left his designated side of the mattress and pillow and was pressed closely to Trowa's larger frame.

The taller man sighed in resignation and lifted his arm so Duo would fit more comfortably, his head resting on his shoulder as he lay on his side. He patted Duo's back and then held him protectively. "Goodnight, Duo," he whispered.

The hand on his chest patted him twice as if to say the two syllable word, "Goodnight" back.

The house was still and dark as the occupants within entered R.E.M. sleep, dreaming deeply when Trowa suddenly jerked awake to the sound of a gasp.

"What?" he opened his eyes and looked around to identify the sound, registering immediately that Duo lay, still sleeping soundly, next to him. His eyes focused in the dark and lit on a shadow just outside the glow of Duo's night light plugged into the wall outlet. "Wufei?" he called out.

"By Allah, Trowa. How could you?" came a choked, strangled cry, and the auburn haired man froze.

"Quatre!" he said in alarm, knowing instantly it was his lover.

The shadow turned to leave and without hesitation, the former Heavyarms pilot sprung out of the bed and ran after him.

"Quatre, wait!" he called out. "Let me explain."

He caught up with the smaller Arabian half way down the darkened steps and grabbed hold of his slender shoulders. "Let me go, Trowa." the heart broken voice cried out in anguish.

"No, Quatre. Never," he replied forcibly holding the smaller man's body in his arms, even though Quatre struggled against it.

"Why Trowa?" his lover's voice was muffled agony personified against the cotton night shirt. "I've loved you with all my heart. Why don't you love me back?" he cried and brought his arms up to embrace his semi-estranged lover and continued. "Were you waiting these two years just to be with him. Were you just using me?"

"No, no. You've got it all wrong, Quatre." Trowa rushed to explain. "You're jumping to conclusions."

"I know what I saw." The blond stated forcibly.

A light went on in the hallway above them and both looked up to see Wufei standing in his blue, plaid pajama bottoms, white tank top, and hair loose about his shoulders frowning down on them.

"Would you go and stay with Duo, Wufei?" Trowa asked. The black haired man nodded and without a word said, went into Trowa's room, allowing his friend to turn his attention back to his distraught lover.

"Come on," Trowa said soothingly. "Let's sit in the living room and we'll talk." He turned the blonde around and directed their steps down the stairway, his arm holding Quatre firmly against his side.

A lamp was turned on and the two sat quietly on the couch.

"How much did Wufei tell you on the phone?" he asked Quatre, whose watery eyes searched his face for answers.

"That you'd pardoned Duo and brought him home with you," he answered. "He told me Duo hadn't fared well in the penal colony and that it would be better if I didn't contact or try to see you or Duo until I got the message that it was alright." He paused and his eyes were bright with tears. "Are you having an affair with him?" he asked, clearly fearful of the answer.

"No, Quatre." Trowa replied firmly, then took up the pale, manicured hands resting in the Arabian's lap. "I've told you before that my heart and soul belong to you."

"Then explain why Duo was in bed with you and why I couldn't come sooner." Quatre looked both hurt and puzzled at the moment.

Trowa took a quick ,deep breath to begin. "Wufei spoke lightly of Duo's condition," he began. He then continued to tell the blond all that had transpired on P.C. 4.

After he described Duo's medical reports and how he found him, silent and frightened, Quatre looked justifiably horrified.

"By Allah, Trowa, how could such a thing happen to him? I was told that his prison time would be like a white-collar work place. Working alongside minimum detention convicts."

Green eyes searched the pained face before him, seeing only truth and confusion in them.

"The warden was influenced by two letters from prominent people, as I believe was the judge at Duo's trial."

"Prominent?" Quatre asked.

Trowa stood and looked down at his soul mate. "I'll let you see a copy of the file if you'll wait here." He moved quickly, taking the stairs silently and two at a time. The blond executive heard the soft murmur of voices upstairs just moments before his long- legged lover returned. Trowa's face was grim and serious, his eyes brooding and mouth was pressed into a straight line. He handed Quatre the papers, then sat next to him to observe his reaction.

Quatre's eyes lowered and focused on the first page of the stack of paper on his lap. He leafed through a few before he gasped and held tightly to the entire stack of papers. Horrified eyes rose up to meet concerned green ones. "How could she have done this?" he gasped. "Rennanda told me she was..... Oh Allah." He bowed his head and brought his hand up to cover his eyes.

Trowa reached out his hand and placed it comfortingly on the silky blond hair. "That's not the only letter," he said quietly. "Look at the one behind it," he instructed.

Returning his shaky hand to the stack of papers fastened together, he turned the damning letter to read the next one. His head shot up, his eyes filled with disbelief.

"Look what's attached to it." Trowa urged his lover on.

The papers flipped again. "These are Duo's sealed files," he said as awareness came to him. When he lifted his head from the evidence in front of him, his face had gone white and he looked ill.

"Was it Heero?" he asked in a husky whisper. "Did he really betray Duo again?"

"I don't know," Trowa answered. "I haven't asked him because I wanted to keep Duo's presence hidden for a long as possible so he can recover quietly and without any added stress or sense of danger. But last Sunday," he continued. "Wufei found Heero in my office at Preventers, and he had hacked into our sealed files."

Quatre's facial features fell into dismay. He closed his eyes trying to shut out the thought of Duo's complete betrayal by the person he'd loved more than his own life. "Oh, Duo." He whispered his friend's name mournfully. "So much betrayal." When he looked up again, the pained blue eyes were moisture filled.

"How is he Trowa? Does he hate me?"

The taller of the two reached out and brought his loved one against him. Quatre readily clung to him for comfort. Re-situating their bodies, Trowa lay back onto the couch so that Quatre lay on top of him, and only when they were comfortably settled against each other did he answer.

"I don't know how he feels or how much he knows," he said as he ran his fingers through the flaxen, silky hair. "Duo hasn't spoken a word in two years, and refused to write his thought's down for us." He felt Quatre's body stiffen at the news. "He's been living and hiding amongst the worst criminals the universe could spew out. He's been afraid for so long..." He paused for a moment before continuing. "You should have seen him, Quatre," he said sadly. "It broke my heart to see our once proud and beautiful Shinigami reduced to a frightened, filthy and abused wretch. When he recognized me, he literally clung to me as his last hope, which I believe I was. He was physically and mentally failing, and the warden did nothing to improve the situation, even at the guards' repeated requests."

He paused and they laid pressed against each other, imagining the horror that their diminutive friend had lived for two years. "Duo is insecure right now," he continued speaking softly, his hands moved in soothing patterns across his lover's back as the gentle empathic soul he'd loved for so long cried silently at the tale of their friend's sorry state. "He clings to me and Wufei as a source of security. I think he feels we won't leave him if he can hold onto us or our clothing. That's why he was in my bed. I'm a warm security blanket."

"I'm sorry." Lips murmured against his neck. 'I came here tonight needing to see you. I was trying to comply with your request to stay away from Duo, but I just couldn't stay away from you any longer. I was going to sneak out in the morning before anyone woke up."

"I missed you, too." Trowa whispered back as he pressed his lips to the top of the blonde head. "I'll admit, I was angry that you didn't ransom Duo yourself, but I realized two years ago that if you felt constrained from helping Duo then, that the same reasons would be present now."

He felt the head resting on his shoulder nod. "My sisters have watched my every move closely for the last month. Now I understand why," he said sadly. "I told them of my desire to pay for Duo's parole, but they were furious that I would betray them and the honor of the family for a mere thief. I decided to bide my time and when they grew weary of watching me, I'd go to P.C. 4 and get him released."

"I'm glad you had good intentions, Quatre," Trowa replied, his lips brushing against the soft blond hair. "But Duo would have been dead in a few more weeks."

"I'm sorry," was repeated again mournfully as Quatre clung to the broad shoulders.

"That's why I moved to Earth." Trowa spoke in a low voice as to not disturb the slumberers upstairs. "I went to work for the Preventers, making quite a generous salary. Living here with Mrs. L. I've been able to save almost everything I made during the time I waited for his parole to come up."

"So it wasn't just to get away from me?" Quatre raised his head to look into the soft green eyes.

"I was very upset at your lack of understanding and belief in Duo's guilt during his arrest and trial. I was too angry to stay with you, plus if your sisters or whoever it was that set Duo up decided to pull something similar on me, I was a sitting duck in your mansion."

Quatre's head lowered back to its comfortable position on the broad shoulder, and once he determined his lover was comfortable, Trowa continued.

"So leaving was the only option for my own sense of self-preservation. I also needed to earn enough money to ransom Duo when I learned appealing his case was not a viable option." He sighed, knowing a confession was coming. "Seems I worked two years only to have a nice financial cushion."

"What?" Quatre's voice sounded baffled and sleepy.

Trowa hesitated until Quatre's head raised again and curious blue eyes met his.

"I have a confession to make," he said as his hand came up to caress the beautiful face before him. "I used the remainder of the money you sent to P.C. 4 for Duo and bullied the Warden into accepting it as his parole fee." Then he sheepishly added, "I also sold some of the gifts you gave me to make sure I could meet the price of his freedom."

Quatre starred at him for a moment, then slowly, a slow smile formed on his face. "So in some small way, even though unknowingly, I helped free Duo?"

Trowa's smile matched his. "Yes you did." he told the other. Quatre's smile broadened and he raised himself up enough to latch his lips onto Trowa's. They spent the next five minutes desperately renewing their bond, reveling in the shared love and need they felt for each other.

Finally separating and coming up for air, they no longer needed the reassurance of the other's love. Quatre settled his head back onto Trowa's shoulder with a contented sigh. "So,....what now?" he asked sounding sleepy.

"Stay until morning and we'll see what happens." Trowa said, his arm firmly around his love's body to keep him in place.

Quatre smiled his agreement and gave a tired nod.

Reaching up, Trowa managed to drag the knitted afghan that was always left on the couch for Duo to curl up in when he needed it, and draped it over the top of the relaxed body resting on top of him. He felt Quatre's smile on his neck as his lips rested there, relishing the welcomed warmth on top of him. Trowa smiled in response to it and let himself join Quatre in sleep for the remainder of the night. 

  
  


TBC.


	7. Web 7

Web of Betrayal

By: Dyna Dee

warnings and disclaimers: See Chapter 1

Part. 7, Betrayal Forgiven

The C.E.O. of the Winner Conglomerate woke slowly to the feeling of gentle fingers threading softly through his hair. A smile graced his lips as he took in the scent and warmth of the love of his life laying beneath him. Exhaling contentedly, a sleepy grin formed on his lips and he slowly opened his eyes. The sight before him was not what he'd expected. Surprised, his body jerked slightly and he emitted a small gasp accompanying the involuntary movement.

"What?" Trowa gave a startled, sleepy reply as he woke from the sudden movement of his lover.

Quatre's eyes widened, suddenly no longer feeling sleepy; for less than a foot away from him was a thin, heart-shaped face surrounded by sleep-mussed, shoulder length hair. Though he had changed, Quatre easily recognized the person kneeling next to the couch and the wide blue-violet eyes that studied him with a serious intent.

"Morning, Duo," Quatre said quietly with a nervous smile.

Slowly Duo's eyes moved past him in search of Trowa face.

The arm previously wrapped around the blond now reached out to gently touch the side of Duo's head. "It's alright, Duo." Trowa assured the other warmly. "Quatre came to see how you're doing. Is that alright with you?"

The Arabian held his breath as he waited for Duo's answer, and sensed that Trowa was, too.

Several times the long and thick lashed eyes shifted back and forth between the two men laying pressed together on the couch. There seemed to be no nod or shake of the head was forthcoming from Duo. Sensing the silent young man needed more from him, Quatre slowly and carefully eased himself off both Trowa and the couch to kneel next to the person who had once been his best friend.

"Duo," he began, and his voice trembled as his eyes took in the fragile-looking body not completely disguised under the large tee-shirt and boxers he wore. He also noticed the blue quilted blanket Duo clutched to his chest with very thin arms. "I am so sorry." Quatre continued emphatically appealing to his former friend. "I swear to you by Allah's name that I didn't have anything to do with your arrest. And I'm sorry that I didn't do more to help you." The light blue eyes easily displayed the misery the blond felt. "I....I was persuaded by my family and their idea of honor to let the courts seek out the truth of the theft, whether you were guilty or not. My sisters didn't really try to talk me into believing you'd stolen from me, but hammered home the fact that I couldn't possibly believe one of my family would do anything to harm my friend. I was told that if I tried to help you legally, it would do just that. I would be choosing your word over theirs, and that act would be dishonorable to the family and jeopardize my relationship with my sisters. I was weak, Duo," he confessed, humbly contrite. "But after the war and losing my father and Irea, I.... just couldn't do that." He wanted to reach out and touch his friend, to show his sincerity, but fear of Duo's total rejection held him back, so he continued talking, watching his friend's reaction. "And I'm so sorry Duo for what happened to you. If I'd known, I would have tried to do something. But no one knew, and I'm afraid at least one of my sisters may have had a great deal to do with your suffering." He bent himself over to bow down over his knees in front of his friend in an attitude of humility as practiced his religion. "I beg your forgiveness Duo for not being a good enough friend to have faith in your word, and to have been jealous of you. I should have done more to save you from what's happened." He stayed there, bent in half, his face to the floor and waited for a sign from Duo that he'd been forgiven. He silently prayed for it as several minutes passed without sound or movement.

Then it was there, a soft touch to his hair, and slowly, Duo's fingers touched a little more and combed through the blond, baby-fine hair. Taking that as his cue, Quatre slowly raised himself up, his eyes searching out Duo's reaction as he straightened to come face to face with his friend once again. A single tear fell from the corner of Duo's right eye as their eyes met, and slowly the teardrop coursed down his cheek to linger on his jaw before it paused to gather more moisture before dropping onto his shoulder. Then a thin, delicate-looking hand reached up and took hold of Quatre's shirt and fisted it tightly.

"You're accepted, Quatre." Trowa said softly as blue eyes met green. They both could read the look of relief on each other's face. Trowa had clearly been worried too.

Bringing his attention back to the person before him, Quatre smiled in gratitude. "Thank you, Duo. And I promise you'll never have to doubt my friendship again."

The long haired young man nodded, his blanket still clutched to his chest.

"May I....hug you?" The blond asked, aware of Trowa's approving gaze.

A slow nod gave him the permission he sought and needed.

Carefully, and with an over exaggerated slowness, the Winner heir raised his arms and leaned forward, closing the distance between them as his arms gently pressed the two of them together. Duo's head came to rest on his shoulder as he hugged him close, mentally wishing his love for his friend to be transferred to him by the simple heartfelt embrace. With Duo resting in his arms, Quatre felt just how slight of body mass Duo was and was reminded of Trowa telling him of the sorry state he'd found him in. With that image and the knowledge of the many levels of betrayal his friend had endured, he gave into his torrent of emotions. He lowered his head to rest against the soft chestnut hair and shed silent tears for his friend and regrets for past misdeeds.

The two knelt there for what seemed an endless time, and broke apart only when an alarmed voice rang through the house. "Duo!"

Wufei came running out of Trowa's room and ran to the rooms upstairs, his panicked footfalls audible from downstairs.

Quatre pulled back and wiped the tears from his eyes, noticing Duo's hand was still firmly gripping his shirt.

"He's here, Wufei." Trowa called out towards the stairs.

The Chinese man rushed to the stairwell and was half way down when his eyes lit on the scene before him.

"That scared me to death," he said in obvious relief.

"Duo's never left the room without me before." Trowa explained aside to the blond.

Mrs. L. then appeared at the top of the stairs. "What's the matter?" she asked, obviously alarmed by Wufei's shout.

"Everything's alright, Mrs. L." Wufei turned to reassure her. "I'm sorry, I probably frightened you," he continued. "Duo wasn't in bed when I woke up and I thought he might have wandered off."

Mrs. L. leaned over the banister and peered down into the living room. "Is our dear boy alright?" she asked, squinting to see who was in the lower room.

"He's fine." Trowa called back to the stairway. "Quatre came during the night and they're just getting re-acquainted."

The elderly lady paused to finish snapping together her housecoat and raked her hand over her white hair. "Well, I think I should get some breakfast started then," she declared taking hold of the banister and moving past Wufei. He quickly turned, took hold of her other arm and assisted her to the lower landing.

"Good morning Mr. Quatre." She smiled shyly. Since meeting the famous billionaire, Quatre Winner, the old woman turned shy and overly polite in his presence.

"Just Quatre, Mrs. L.," he reminded her again with his most charming smile greeting her.

She smiled happily as she approached them and stopped next to Duo, still kneeling on the floor. "Come here, sweet one." She beckoned to him to rise.

Duo rose to his feet awkwardly and turned to face her. Mrs. L's wise and aged eyes sparkled with genuine fondness for him as she warmly embraced him, giving Duo a motherly squeeze for good measure. "Good morning, dear," she said cheerily. When she pulled back a moment later, she took his face between her hands and turning his face from side to side, kissed both of his cheeks. She dropped her hands, then stood still, a smile on her face as Duo reached up with both of his hands and repeated the gesture of affection to her.

"Hungry?" she asked him.

A nod was his reply.

"That's good." She grinned affectionately at him. "You need to eat more; get some meat on those skinny bones. And after what happened last evening, you are going to get a wonderful breakfast."

She patted his cheek and turned, making her way to the kitchen that would in minutes have the wonderful smell of their breakfast filling the air.

"Hey, how come only Duo gets that kind of a greeting in the morning?" Quatre asked with a grin.

Duo turned to him with a slight smile on his face.

"Because he's her new favorite," Wufei suggested with a teasing wink to his silent friend.

Quatre turned to look at Trowa. "So what's this that happened last evening that's worth celebrating?" he asked, not wanting to miss out on anything the three other former pilots had been doing. He sat on the couch as Wufei repeated with obvious pleasure the practical joke Duo had played on him.

"And then, he laughed.....out loud." Trowa interjected into Wufei's tale. "That's the first sound I've heard from him since we've been reunited. It was wonderful, wasn't it Wufei?" He looked to his Chinese friend for confirmation.

"Yes." Wufei answered softly, a gentle smile of fondness was on his face as he gazed at Duo.

Quatre stared stupefied at his Chinese friend. In the last five minutes he'd seen more emotion from Wufei than he'd seem during their entire time together in the wars. He'd changed from being angry, vengeful and sometimes lost teen to a man with a definite softness in his manner; he saw a person who cared and showed love for his friend. Quatre smiled to himself in reflection. Duo always did have an affect on them, and proved to still be capable of drawing those feelings from the rest of them, even in utter silence.

"Ready for your shower, Duo?" Trowa's voice broke him from his reverie.

Duo nodded.

"Well, lets go before Mrs. L. is done, then breakfast will be cold," he added lightly as he stood.

With his small blanket still clenched to his chest, Duo grabbed hold of Trowa's tee-shirt and doggedly followed Trowa's lead as they made their way back up the stairs.

Concerned blue eyes turned to Wufei, now sitting in the rocking chair. "Is Duo always that compliant?" he asked.

"So far, yes," Wufei replied. "We've pretty much had to protect him from whatever might cause him to have fear, which means just about everything and anyone he doesn't know. He's afraid of crowds, especially men, loud voices, sudden movements, and of uncertain situations. He's wearing our shirts out," he said with a smile growing at the last statement. "But now I see there will be one more person he can grab onto."

"How did you become so involved Wufei?" Quatre asked, folding up the afghan blanket with care, then sitting back down on the couch. "You and Duo didn't seem to be very close after the war. How did you come to be staying here?"

"Trowa asked me to pick him and a guest up at the airport." He paused, frowning at the memory. "When I recognized the frail, sleeping figure in the wheelchair to be Duo." He stopped for a moment to swallow hard. "My heart felt as if it were stone as I took in what his time in prison had done to him. I knew then that I'd let a comrade, a friend down. After Trowa told me of Duo's past two years, I vowed to myself that I'd never allow harm to come to him again. I've taken a leave of absence from the Preventers and Trowa has also. Duo needs us right now more than any job waiting on our desks. I haven't been much of a friend to Duo in the past, but I'm out to prove my friendship to him now."

Quatre nodded his head, his eyes filled with emotion. "I too have not done my best by Duo." He closed his eyes, shamed from the feeling those words evoked in him. "But I pledge to you, Trowa and Duo that I will no longer be found guilty of neglect again." He paused as he collected himself, then opened his eyes with a look of determination set on his handsome face. "I'll do whatever I can to help him," he said firmly, "be it financial, emotional, or by deed. I'll prove to Duo once more that I am his friend."

Wufei nodded in approval to his friend's vow. His gaze wandered to the stairs, thinking of said friend. "He's going to need corrective surgery on his left arm and his right leg, and definitely a therapist to help him deal with what he's endured."

"I'll find him the best doctors," Quatre vowed.

Slowly dark eyes turned to focus on the blond. "I don't know if Duo will ever return to be the person we knew, Quatre," he said softly in a tone of worry. "We may end up taking care of him for the rest of his life."

Wufei's words, though hovering in the back of his mind since seeing Duo's condition, had a greater impact when said out loud. The Arabian's face crumbled and he lowered his face into his hands. "Oh Allah," he quietly moaned. "My family is responsible for this." He rocked back and forth a few moments, silently grieving for his friend and the loss of honor caused by one or more his sisters' ill deeds. He then slowly raised his red, puffy eyes up, showing determination. "I'll take financial responsibility for Duo, even if it's for the rest of his life. He'll want for nothing."

Wufei nodded again, accepting the other's vow. "What he needs right now is our patience, kindness and security. Since influential people had the power to harm him, it's imperative we keep his location and situation from them," he told the other, his penetrating and knowing gaze clearly sent the message to Quatre.

"Neither Rennanda, my sisters, nor Heero or Relena will learn of this from me. Though I do want to confront my sister with her letter. But how do I do that without alerting her to the knowledge I have of Duo's release, his files and the letters being used against him on PC.4?"

"You're the strategist, Quatre." Wufei observed dryly. "I'm sure you'll come up with something simple and brilliant as always." He stood from his chair. "I'm going to dress. You can use the downstairs restroom to freshen up if you wish."

"Thanks," Quatre said as he stood. "See you in the kitchen."

Throughout the day, the former Sandrock pilot observed Duo and the rest of the household interacting with him. His heart was touched by Duo's vulnerability and how the older woman and two former soldiers displayed such gentleness, consideration and love for the silent one with the constant look of hesitation in his eyes.

As they sat in the garden that afternoon enjoying the fruits, or flowers in this case, of Mrs. Lunderson's obvious green thumb, Quatre came up with a suggestion. "Why don't I take everyone out for dinner tonight, give Mrs. L. a break from cooking?" He smiled invitingly at all of them. "I've know where there's a great new Italian restaurant near my hotel. It's a five star with great reviews. There's a three month waiting list," He told them. "but I'm sure I can get us in tonight because the owner is a friend of mine."

"I don't think Duo's up to going out in public yet," Wufei answered and smiled at Duo reassuringly as he turned his head at hearing his name. Mrs. L. had given him the chore of watering her many plants and he seemed to enjoy the task. "But why don't you take Trowa out," he suggested, knowing his two friends probably needed some time alone after being apart for several weeks. "He's been at Duo's side for the past several weeks." He looked at the auburn haired young man. "You could use a break."

"No, I don't think I should," Trowa replied, a look of worry on his face.

"Mrs. L. and I can certainly keep an eye on Duo for a couple of hours." Wufei insisted. "I'll even take him to bed with me if you're late."

"Please Trowa." Quatre put on his best puppy eyes, and looked pleadingly up at his lover.

Obviously still concerned, green eyes lifted to watch the young man happily watering the plants as Mrs. L. stood by like a mother hen, telling Duo all the names of her plants as they were watered.

"Let me ask Duo," he said without taking his eyes off the person in question. "If he's okay with it, then I'll go."

Quatre tried to hide the flicker of hurt he felt, but failed miserably as Trowa took hold of his face and tilted it up so their eyes met. "There's nothing I want more than to be with you, Quatre," he said softly, aware of Wufei turning his head away from them. "But Duo is beginning to trust us again, and we owe him, all of us owe him. If he needs me to stay, I'll stay." His eyes searched Quatre's, hoping for understanding. "I need you to understand, Quatre, that I love you more than my life, but I love Duo as a little brother who has been badly hurt, betrayed, and is so fragile and vulnerable. I've devoted the last two years of my life to freeing him from the Penal Colony, and if I have to, I'll devote the rest of my life to seeing that he finds happiness again."

He reached over and gently kissed the lips he always hungered for, then rested his forehead against his lover's and closed his eyes, forcing himself to go on. "I guess you need to decide if you can live with that or not. If you can't, I'll understand, and if you need me to let you go, I will, even though the thought of it rips my heart out."

He felt Quatre's arms come around his neck and his lips pressed deeply onto his own in a desperate kiss. Quatre broke it, and his voice came out in a whispered gasp. Trowa looked up to see tears flowing over the corner of his lover's eyes. "Never, Trowa. I love and need you more than the air on my colony." He took in a shuddering breath. "I've decided to take a leave from the corporation and my family. I know now you were right to fear for your safety as well as Duo's, and I promise to find out who did this, starting with Rennanda. I understand," he continued, "how you feel about Duo, I do, too. In fact, my debt to him is even greater because of the betrayal he received from me and mine. Will you let me help care for him, along with Mrs. L. and Wufei? Can you trust me again?" the blue eyes and soft voice implored.

Trowa drew the smaller, emotional man into his arms, his heart and eyes brimming with happiness. "I've always trusted you Quatre. I gave you my heart, didn't I?"

He felt the head on his shoulder nod. "And you have always had mine." came the emotional whisper.

"Fellas?" Wufei's voice called out a bit sharply, bringing the two back to an awareness of their surroundings. They sat up, and separated and turned to see Duo standing next to them, a look of worry on his face.

"It's okay, Duo." Quatre turned watery eyes and a smile on his silent friend. "We're just happy because I'm going to move Earthside and become a suburbanite."

Wufei, standing off to the side, snorted his amusement at the comment.

Trowa reached out and took hold of Duo's hand, the one clutching his miniature quilt. "Duo," he began, looking at his friend's face for his reaction. "Quatre wants me to go out with him for a little while tonight. Would that be alright with you?" 

Duo's eyes shifted between the two faces looking up at him expectantly.

"I'll be here as well as Mrs. L." Wufei chimed in with his usual perfect timing. "We'll watch some t.v., have popcorn and root beer floats." He added a little incentive for the their long haired friend.

Duo's eyes turned to him and a small smile graced his lips showing he liked the idea.

"Would it be alright Duo?" Quatre asked, hoping he didn't sound too much like begging. The restaurant was only six doors down from his hotel, and maybe after...., his mind wandered down a very pleasant corridor. It had been too long since they'd held each other.

Duo looked away from Wufei to Quatre then nodded his head.

The blond immediately shot to his feet and embraced the smaller brunet. "Thank you, Duo. I'll be sure to bring you home a special treat, okay?"

Duo smiled and Quatre excused himself to rush into the house to get the promised reservation.

They all watched him go with amusement on their faces. "Hum, seems a bit anxious to me." Wufei observed with a knowing look. "Wonder why that is?" He teased the auburn haired friend.

"I think he really likes Italian food." Trowa chuckled, knowing no one believed that was the real reason for even a moment.

TBC


	8. Web 8

Web of Betrayal

Dyna Dee

Warnings and disclaimer on first page of fic.

Part 8, Betrayal's Confrontation 

At precisely eight o'clock sharp that evening, the two lovers were greeted by the owner of The Venetian. Trowa blinked at the man in surprise as he recognized the dark haired and skinned man.

"Omar?" he questioned as the man turned his happy countenance from Quatre to him.

"Master Trowa!" the shorter man loudly exclaimed and stuck out his pudgy hand to give him a hearty handshake.

"Surprise." Quatre grinned seeing his love recognized the L-4 Winner household chef.

"And a wonderful surprise it is too." Trowa beamed at the man before him. He'd sampled Omar Kaddifel's exquisite cuisine for the year he'd lived with Quatre; and both he and Duo had complimented the man profusely, saying he should open his own restaurant so others could share in the art that was his cooking and baking. Seems the good man took their words to heart. 

"Yes," Omar smiled proudly. "I took yours and Master Duo's advice, and with Master Quatre's help, I opened my own place."

Trowa's eyes turned to focus on the establishment. The light was dim, but not dark, the tables and chairs were tasteful and elegant in rich but subdued colors. The tables set around the room were placed to give each party enough space for a small amount of privacy and intimate conversation. The place smacked of money, quality, and good taste. 

"You did this all yourself?" the tallest of the three asked, sounding very impressed.

"Most of it, with a little helpful financial backing." Omar smiled broadly and tilted his head in a telling manner towards the blond.

"Little is exactly right." Quatre grinned back. "I own only a small interest in the business."

The restaurant was full without looking crowded and the waiters were efficient without looking hurried. The patrons looked to be wealthy.

"Well, it looks to be a great success." Trowa smiled genuinely in response to what he'd observed.

"I hope so," Omar replied and motioned to the head waiter with a quick flick of his hand that his guests were ready to be seated. The formally dressed and distinguished middle-aged man led them to their table for two, situated in a prominent position in the center of the restaurant, a place to see and be seen.

They took their seats and Quatre ordered the wine from Omar as they were both still underage, and the two listened attentively as their waiter listed the specials of the day.

Quatre ordered the salmon with a light lemon/dill sauce, and Trowa the seafood fettuccini. A salad was placed before them as well as French bread with herb-laced olive oil. The two young men chatted with familiarity and comfort, not taking in much else in the room other than each other and the excellent food set before them.

As they neared the end of their meal, Quatre began to study the people at the other tables, to see if he recognized anyone.

Trowa swirled his broken piece of bread into the olive oil, then looked up, hearing a slight gasp from his companion. Quatre's eyes met his, looking startled and unsure.

"What?" Trowa asked, his senses becoming fully alert. 

"Relena and Heero are here," the blond whispered, then shifted his eyes to his right and motioned his head to the direction over his lover's left shoulder.

Trowa followed his signals and found himself meeting Heero's penetrating gaze from across the room. The former Wing pilot's eyes, when they bore into a person for a purpose, caused many a man, soldier, politician or criminal to cringe and look away. But Trowa met his stare and matched it. Even from across the room Trowa could see Heero's left eyebrow raise in question before he nodded, whether in greeting or just acknowledging he'd met his match in glaring, Trowa didn't know. But knowing of the callous deed Heero had done to his former lover, caused the auburn haired Preventer not to relent to Heero's intimidation tactics. Instead of nodding back, he merely turned his head.

The two finished their meal trying hard to ignore the pointed glare focused on them from across the room.

"What's his problem?" Quatre asked, looking a bit nervous from Heero's penetrating scrutiny.

"Maybe his guilty conscious is catching up with him," Trowa replied with a slight shrug, trying to show an indifference he didn't feel as he masked his anger.

"Come to my room for a little while?" Quatre asked with hope twinkling in his bright blue eyes as well as a wicked smiled that let his lover know what his intentions were when they finally got into a room alone. Trowa had made it clear from the time he'd come to Earth and after they'd patched their relationship back together, that Mrs. Lunderson's house was not an appropriate place for their more intimate activities. In the past two years, Quatre's hotel room was the obvious place for a tryst, but they had taken the time to be spontaneous and clever at times and had found other inventive places to express their love for each other.

Trowa frowned, looking at his watch. The entire meal had taken an hour and a half. He felt torn between enjoying some private time with Quatre and going home to make sure Duo was alright.

"He'll be fine." Quatre gently admonished him. "Have a little faith in Wufei and Mrs. L." 

He was right, and Trowa knew it. He owed Quatre some quality time, and to be honest with himself, he needed the comforting reassurance the blond Arabian always gave him. "Alright." He smiled at the beaming face across from him. "Let's take some dessert up with us and some home to the others."

Quatre's lit up face suddenly sobered. "Here comes Heero." he warned.

"Not a word about Duo," his lover warned in a whisper.

Heero came to stand at the edge of their table, looking down at the two he had once called close friends. "Quatre, Trowa." He nodded to them separately.

"Hello Heero." Quatre replied out of courtesy. Trowa nodded his head and looked up into the Japanese man's face.

The moment passed on awkwardly by for all of them, until at last Heero spoke. "Where's Wufei?" he asked bluntly. "I've been trying to reach him all week. He's not at his home nor at his office."

"I'm not his keeper," Trowa said in a clipped tone, picking up his wine glass and taking a slow, lingering sip. "If you need to speak with him, try his e-mail."

"He hasn't answered any messages that I've sent," Heero replied, and the look on his face hinted at his frustration at the situation.

"Well maybe he doesn't have anything to say to you." Trowa replied coolly, causing the former Wing Pilot to frown.

"What's the matter with you Trowa?" Heero scowled at his former friend. Then his demeanor changed, looking rather sad. He lowered his voice when he spoke again. "Is this about me using your office? Is this why you're acting so indifferent to me?" 

"I'm not acting, Heero, I am indifferent to you."

"Why?" Heero asked affronted. "What have I done to you that you should act this way?" he looked offended, even betrayed.

Quatre had been closely observing their former teammate throughout then entire awkward conversation, and he could sense waves of confusion and hurt rolling off of the normally stoic young man.

"Let's just say some information has come to light of what a bastard you really are."

It only took a moment before Heero reacted. He reached out with lightning speed, grabbed hold of Trowa's shirt and jacket in his fists and pulled him up and out of his chair, bringing him close enough that their faces were only inches apart.

"What the hell are you talking about?" he hissed through gritted teeth. Both young men glared at the other, eyes narrowed and obviously ready to fight. All eyes in the restaurant turned to them and all movement and sound ceased.

Quatre alone moved as he jumped from his seat and tried to pry the two apart. "This is not the time or place you guys. Don't ruin things for Omar."

The two stood unmoving, Quatre could almost see sparks of anger igniting between them.

Noticing a movement from the side, Quatre turned to see a familiar person approaching. "Here comes Relena," he warned them in a hushed voice. For some reason he didn't readily fathom, Heero instantly reacted, letting go of Trowa's clothing and took a step back. "Later," he promised in an almost inaudible hiss.

"What's wrong, Heero?" Relena's soft, sing-song voice asked in concern as she approached him, eyes touching briefly on the other two men. She placed her hand on his arm and Quatre thought he saw a slight flinch on Heero's part.

"Nothing," he replied, now appearing completely calm, his voice back to being his usual monotone. "I just didn't like Trowa's attitude." 

"Come now," the well-known Vice Foreign Minister smiled her practiced political face of a truce maker on them. "You three are friends. What could be so wrong that it can't be forgiven?" she asked, then turned her eyes to the blond young man. "How are you Quatre?" She nodded to him and then his companion. "Trowa?" 

"We're fine, Relena. Thank you for asking," the Winner heir replied with all-due courtesy. Trowa stoically and quite rudely looked off in a different direction.

"Oh my," she said in a feigned tone of disappointment. "Something's amiss here. Why don't you two come over for dinner some night this week and we can work out this little misunderstanding. We can put whatever problem there is out on the table and put it behind us," she suggested and smiled as if pleased with her obvious solution.

"What?" Trowa spoke up, his voice edged with sarcasm and anger, "And find myself locked in prison the next day under some trumped up charges? You'd have to believe me to be a complete idiot to agree to come anywhere near you two."

Quatre gasped at Trowa's boldness, then watched the other two as Relena looked insulted and Heero....well, he just looked miserable.

"What are you insinuating, Trowa?" Relena asked, now clearly angered.

"You seem to be omnipotent these days, you figure it out," was his derisive reply.

Omar displayed his sense of perfect timing by showing up at that very moment. "Is there a problem?" he asked nervously, looking at all four well-known individuals involved in the verbal altercation in the center of his restaurant and on opening night.

"No, Omar. Trowa and I are just leaving," Quatre answered only glancing for a brief moment at the business man to give him a reassuring smile, then he returned to cautiously watch the other two squared off from Trowa. "The meal was wonderful, never had better," Quatre said loud enough so the other patrons would hear and spread the word that Quatre Winner had approved of the establishment. "Could you send one of your wonderful pies along with the bill to my hotel room?" he asked the man aside.

"I'd be happy to," the older man said with a look of great relief on his face.

"Let's go Trowa." Quatre took his lover's arm and led him away from Heero and Relena, who stood staring after their retreating backs.

Though the former Heavyarms pilot was tense and in anything but a romantic mood after that altercation, a shoulder massage and teasing kisses on the neck and ears soon had the thoughts and feelings of the auburn-haired young man drifting to a more pleasurable realm. All thoughts of Heero and Relena's betrayal lost out to thoughts of the blond now intent on driving him crazy. 

It was around midnight when the taxi drove to the front of the house. The two in the back held hands, relishing the contact and their time together. Yet seeing a vaguely familiar car out front of the house had Trowa sitting up at attention. The taxi pulled up behind the sleek, white sports car with the license plate printed in bold letters HERMAN. They both looked up to the house. The front curtains were drawn, but the lights were definitely on.

Quatre quickly paid the driver as Trowa flung open the cab door and strode anxiously up the sidewalk. From the outside he could see through the glass in the front door that there were two dark haired persons just inside for foyer and clearly audible were two voices raised in an angry argument.

Quatre ran from the car to catch up with his lover just as he put his hand on the door knob. Swinging it open, they were met with the scene of Heero and Wufei squared off and wrestling with each other, both angry and shouting.

"What's going on here?" Trowa asked angrily. "And what the hell are you doing here Yuy?"

Wufei pushed Heero back away from his body and stood defiantly in Heero's way, blocking him from advancing past the entry. "Heero decided to pay us an impromptu visit," Wufei answered, perturbed at the situation. "He just walked in, unannounced and un-welcomed."

"I saw Duo, dammit." Heero growled out. "How long have you been hiding him from me and why?" he demanded.

"Get out Heero," Trowa ordered sternly. "You're not welcome here."

"Not until I talk to Duo," Heero shouted.

"Haven't you hurt him enough Yuy?" Wufei cut in, his eyes bright with anger. "Leave him be. We'll take care of him from now on," he added firmly.

Quatre looked up from the angry three to see Mrs. Lunderson coming down the stairs dressed in her floral housecoat and slippers. Her eyes were wide with alarm.

"I'm not going anywhere until I see him," Heero declared stubbornly.

"No!" Trowa shouted back. "We're taking care of him now. Get out or I'll call the police." He took hold of Heero's arm to force him out when the former Wing Pilot went into soldier mode, easily flinging the hand off and came out swinging and a melee began in the front foyer of Mrs. L.'s home.

Quatre and the frightened woman cried out for the three to stop as fists met with various parts of their bodies. 

Quatre's mind worked furiously to try and think of a way to stop the fistfight before someone got really hurt or Mrs. L.'s home was trashed beyond repair.

"Duo!" The elderly woman called out his name in alarm, Quatre followed the direction of her gaze, and his own eyes widened in alarm.

"Stop it now!" he shouted to the three. "You've scared Duo."

His words had the same effect as a ice cold bucket of water thrown on the fighters; the three froze, and Trowa and Wufei whipped their bodies around to scan the living room. Wufei instantly noted Duo was no longer on the couch where he had been when Heero had burst in.

"Where?" Heero asked, then stood shocked into stillness as Trowa rushed to the corner of the room. There, in a hunched ball, trembling under the afghan quilt that was thrown completely over his head, was Duo.

Trowa approached him cautiously, kneeling next to the hunched, visibly trembling lump in the corner. From the outline of the blanket, it appeared the American was crouched down with his hands over his head. It was then that the words of the prison guards came back to him that Duo was frightened by loud voices and men fighting, and for good reason.

"Duo, it's alright," he said softly in a gentle voice. "No one here is going to hurt you. You're safe here," he added, and cautiously reached his hand out to touch his frightened friend. "We're not going to yell or fight any more, alright?" He let his hand drift to the middle of Duo's back and gently rubbed it until some of the trembling calmed. Then slowly, he began to pull the knit blanket from off his head. As the messy haired brunet raised his head, Trowa read his friend's emotions in the wide, fear-filled eyes. 

"It's alright, Duo. No one is going to hurt you," Trowa reiterated as he stood, pulling Duo up with him, but then stopped as the blanket clad young man dug in his heels and refused to move further, his face fraught with nervousness.

"What's the matter?" Trowa asked, searching his friend's eyes. Duo glanced down, leading the green eyes to follow to the hardwood floor where he Trowa discovered a puddle of water under Duo's feet.

Understanding, the taller of the two raised his hand to touch his friend's cheek, blushing pink with embarrassment. "It's alright. I understand," he said reassuringly. "Let me take you upstairs for a bath, alright?"

Duo nodded and wrapping the blanket around him, and waited until Trowa's arm was draped protectively around his shoulders, then allowed himself to be led out of the corner.

He kept his head down, eyes focused on the floor as they walked toward the four standing mute and still at the front entry near the stairs.

Trowa stopped for a brief moment to whisper something to Mrs. L. She nodded in reply to whatever he had said and moved off towards the kitchen.

"Duo." Heero's tortured voice called out in longing. The downcast head lifted slowly until the embarrassed violet eyes met those of his former lover. It was evident to the four carefully watching for a reaction that a look of longing entered into those beautiful orbs a moment before Trowa pushed him forward and led him up the stairs.

Heero's eyes, in contrast to his former lover, were wide with shock. Though Wufei's hands held him from going to Duo, he didn't fight the hold. Feeling numb, he watched the assent of the two as they moved slowly up the stairs until they disappeared from out of his view. He then turned to meet the eyes of the Chinese Preventer.

"Wha.....what's happened to him, Wufei?" he asked, his inward pain clearly visible on his normally placid features.

"Prison's what happened to him, Heero," the other replied darkly.

Heero's head lifted up in the direction of the stairs, his eyebrows were drawn together in a look of confused thought. "He was sent to a minimum colony detention facility," he said to no one in particular, but trying to reason out loud the changes in his ex-lover.

Wufei's frown darkened and he shoved the former Wing pilot away from him. "Your letter changed all that and sent him to a high security level, all alone, with no weapons or means to defend himself, and prey to the worst excuse for humans the colonies could dredge up," he spat out vehemently. 

Heero closed his eyes and his body seemed to sway, so much so that Quatre reached out to take his elbow to steady him. Taking deep breaths through his nose and exhaling slowly, it took a minute for Heero to center himself before he spoke. "What letter?" he asked, then opened his eyes to search the faces of the other two.

"The letter you sent to the judge and warden along with Duo's sealed records from the war, which were taken illegally from the Preventer's files. Your's and Relena's signatures help to seal Duo's fate on that dammed penal colony."

Heero's hand shot out to clamp fiercely onto Wufei's arm. "I didn't write a letter or sign one, Wufei. I swear it to you on my honor. I'd never do anything to hurt Duo."

Wufei grabbed hold of Heero's hand on his arm and forcefully pried it away. "You left him for Relena two weeks after he lost his business and lied to me about it. He was devastated Heero, feeling he'd lost everything he'd ever held dear. And you don't think that was hurting him?" he snarled angrily.

Heero visibly winced at the reminder of that painful time. "I only did what I thought was right at the time," he answered meekly.

"Well your one saving grace was that you called Quatre and Trowa to help." He looked disdainfully at the Japanese man. "Without them getting there just when they did..."

"Wufei!" Quatre snapped angrily, reminding the Chinese man of his near lapse. Duo's attempted suicide had remained a secret amongst the three former pilots. Wufei had just recently learned of it, and promised his silence,

Heero's eyes shifted back and forth between the two, knowing secrets were kept between all of his former comrades. His eyes settled on Quatre. "What happened, Quatre?"

Surprisingly, having been reminded of that terrible time and feelings it brought with it, he found his anger return that he and Trowa had felt at Heero's defection to Relena and the blond's eyes narrowed as he looked Heero in the eye.

"Exactly what I suspect you knew would happen," he answered in a chilled tone. "That's why you had me drop everything to go to him, isn't it? He was half dead when we found him, Heero. Huddled in your empty closet with an empty bottle of sleeping pills and alcohol."

The words seem to hit the former Wing pilot like a load of gundanium. He stumbled past Wufei to sit on the couch, and immediately buried his head in his hands.

The other two men shared questioning expressions on their faces, then looked towards the kitchen doorway where Mrs. L. came quietly into the room with a bucket of sudsy water and several cloths. Without a word or glance at the three, she went to the corner and began to clean up something of the floor where Duo had been. She kept her face towards her task, ignoring the tenseness that permeated the room.

"Why didn't anyone tell me?" Heero asked in a voice sounding like quiet agony.

"You weren't exactly accessible, Heero." Quatre answered in a sharp tone, trying to reign in his anger. "Besides, you never tried to contact us to see how he was, so we figured you just didn't care."

"Not care?" He raised his head with an incredulous look on his face, a touch of anger in his own voice at the insinuation. "It tore me apart to leave him knowing I would never find such happiness again. He was everything to me. How could I not care?"

Wufei frowned deeply. "Then why did you leave him?" he asked sternly.

Heero looked like he'd had the breath knocked out of him, the look of a person trapped in a corner and looking for away out. He swallowed hard. "I had to. I can't tell you why, but it was for his own good."

Quatre was visible taken aback by the statement. "What good would it have been to him if he'd died before I got there? Would you still have felt justified by your leaving?"

Heero's head shook back and forth vigorously. "I didn't have a choice. I had to leave. This is all my fault, isn't it?" he asked, but continued on without waiting for a confirming answer. "I couldn't figure out a way to stop the threat against him and when I didn't believe it, when I disobeyed, he was set up and arrested."

Now the other two were entirely confused but suspicious as to Heero's motives for his actions.

"What the hell are you babbling about Yuy." Wufei scowled. "Tell us plainly what happened."

"I can't," Heero replied miserably, regret visible in his face.

"I think we need to show you something Heero, then you can decide whether to trust us or not." Wufei turned away from them and climbed the stairs, leaving Quatre and Heero alone on the couch. Mrs L. finished her cleaning and silently returned to the kitchen.

"I'm sorry," Heero whispered looking miserable, his eyes shifting warily to the Arabian.

"I have my own guilt to deal with concerning Duo, Heero." Quatre replied, suddenly feeling very tired. "Save your apologies for him."

"Your guilt?" Heero turned in surprise to face his former friend.

"I failed to believe in his innocence enough to get him the best lawyer I could," he replied with guilt and embarrassment clearly visible on his face. "I was coerced by my sisters to believe it would be a conflict of interest, and I was easily swayed because of a lingering jealousy over Duo being with Trowa during the war."

Heero nodded his understanding. He had kept it a secret that he'd been deeply hurt at the confession from his lover at spending one night with the Heavyarms' pilot after he'd been found and was suffering from amnesia. Duo had told him it was a one night thing, an act of consoling and grounding the frightened and confused teen. He remembered extracting a promise from Duo not to repeat any such altruistic gesture again. He never intended to share the violet eyed boy with anyone, ever. But circumstances changed that decision. He'd let Duo go in order to spare him anymore heartache. Now his heart sank as to what his decision had wrought to the one person he loved.

Several long moments of silence hung heavy in the room until Wufei's footsteps on the stairs alerted them to his return. He carried with him a folder in his hands, easily an inch thick with documents. He stopped in front of Heero and held the file out to him, a serious frown marring his face. "Read this," he ordered.

Taking the folder, Heero spared a quick glance at the other two, instinctively understanding they both knew what the contents of the folder were and sensed he wouldn't be pleased by reading it.

He lowered his head, opened the folder and began to read the first document.

Mrs. L. came back through the living room, and meeting Wufei's and Quatre's eyes, they motioned to her that all was fine and she should return to her bed. 

The room remained in relative silence as the pages were turned, and every once in a while, Heero took in a sharp intake of air and wiped at the corner of his eyes. At one point, he looked up at Quatre, obviously reading the letter on Winner Company stationary. But when he moved to the next page, his body stiffened. He quickly went through the attached pages and looked up into Wufei's watchful gaze. "You think I did this?" he asked disbelievingly. Then understanding lit his face. "That's why you were so upset about me using Trowa's office and computer."

"After seeing the evidence, can you blame me?" Wufei challenged him.

Heero held up the cover letter to Duo's sealed records. "This is not my signature." He stated firmly. "It's close, but not mine. I did not take Duo's records, and neither did I have knowledge of this letter. I would have chopped my hands off rather than have signed such a letter condemning Duo."

"Then who did this?" Wufei demanded. "Who hated Duo so much that they would go to so much trouble to hurt him this way?"

Heero suddenly looked cornered again. "I...I can't say," he stammered.

"Can't or won't?" Quatre asked, aggravated by Heero's answer. 

"Does it matter?" Heero growled. "If I say anything, Duo could be hurt even more."

"I know of only one person who openly despised Duo and gained from you alienating yourself from him," Quatre said.

"One who would have enjoyed seeing him hurt and had the clout to carry it off." Wufei added and leaned forward, his gaze focusing intently on the uncomfortable Japanese man next to him on the couch. "It was Relena, wasn't it?"

Heero sat as still as a statue while the other two waited for an answer. He was obviously considering his options, to tell or not. When he looked up, the look on his face was one they'd never seen before, one of pleading. "Please.....I don't want him hurt anymore. You have no idea how deep this person's reach is, how they can destroy a person."

"Tell us Heero, who did this to Duo? " Wufei asked in a commanding voice. "If we are to protect Duo, we need to know exactly who his enemy is and what they are capable of."

It was so unusual that it was unsettling to see Heero so unnerved as his hands worried the fabric of the couch and shifted nervously in his seat.

"Was it Relena?" Quatre asked in a more soothing tone than his companion, hoping to coax the former perfect soldier into confessing.

Heero's internal battle continued as he fidgeted in his seat. Then, finally, he nodded and his face lifted up to face them, allowing the other two to see his eyes filled with unshed tears. "She has a group of operatives from the Preventers working for her, under the guise of security," he began hesitantly. "After I moved to L-2 with Duo to escape her incessant stalking and obvious public contempt of him, we began his parts/salvage business." A slight smile grew as a memory was triggered. "We were happy. Free at last from war, battles and Relena's domineering presence."

He took a deep breath and continued. "Duo was an excellent entrepreneur, his knowledge and personality made his business flourish quickly. He acquired more accounts and contacts than we could handle. He was virtually an overnight success, and he loved it. That business helped him get over the war more than anything else."

Here he paused and closed his eyes for a moment. "Then all of a sudden the business dried up. His contacts didn't answer his calls, our regular customers said they'd found a better supplier. Within three months the business went completely flat, the phones were dead. He had no choice but to close shop."

Heero's pained eyes met theirs. "You have no idea how confused and devastated he was. He'd plastered on his mask of being carefree and accepting, but I knew better. We'd penetrated each other's masks during the war," he explained, then sat quietly for a moment before Wufei nudged him along by simply saying, "And?"

He nodded then continued. "I got a call from Une about some unfinished Preventer business. She asked me to come to Earth to straighten it out. I was met at the spaceport by two agents who said they had a car waiting for me. After checking their badges, I followed them to the limousine waiting at the loading curb outside the terminal. Relena was in the backseat. I almost refused the ride, but she said she had some information for me about Duo's business, so I climbed willing into Pandora's Box."

Heero leaned forward and rubbed his fingertips against his aching temples. "She told me she had ruined Duo's business, just to show me she held the strings to our lives and that Duo's welfare depended on my next decision."

He picked up the decorative pillow next to him and brought it up to his chest, squeezing it tightly. In a strained voice he continued. "She said if I wanted Duo to live, I would have to leave him and marry her. His safety would be assured only if I complied. She said she knew of his background on L-2 and, with little effort on her part, she would see his reputation ruined and make sure by truth and lies that no one would ever hire him or do business with him again." 

He looked to Quatre, a desperate plea for understanding on his face. "Do you know what that would do to him?" he asked. "Duo needed to work. He craved it and found joy in it." 

The blond nodded. "I tried to get him to live with us after you left, but he said he needed to get to work to keep his body and mind focused on something other than his loss and problems."

Heero nodded in agreement, then continued. "She gave me one week to end things with him and return to Earth. I couldn't see any options at that time. I didn't know then how she managed to ruin his business, but I had no doubt she did, as I also had no doubt she would carry through on her threat. She added the condition that no one was to know of her hold over me, or why I was leaving Duo. I believe she wanted to estrange me from the rest of you, isolate me as much as possible. Again, she succeeded."

Heero leaned back on the couch, allowing his head to fall back onto the top of the couch. He looked weary. "For Duo's sake I did as she directed. I needed to protect him until I could figure a way out of the situation without killing her. That's how I came to leave him." Fatigue and regret filled his voice.

"I can still see the hurt in his eyes as well as disbelief as I tried to prepare him during that week by starting arguments, nit-picking everything about our home and our relationship." He shook his head as if trying to push the negative memories from his mind. "I've hated myself for it, but I hated Relena more for making me do it. I left Duo on the very last day given to me, my last glimpse of him was as he crumpled to the floor. My heart froze at that moment, and it has stayed frozen ever since."

"And so you came to Earth and married her," Wufei added and Heero nodded.

"She moved quickly, having already planned everything before she'd spoken to me in the limousine. She knew she had me when she threatened Duo. I thought I'd have time to figure out her network and unravel the threat."

Opening his eyes, Heero looked aside to Wufei without lifting his head from its resting place. "But I hadn't realized the level of surveillance I'd be under. I was always watched and tracked. I am never alone in a room, much less with a computer." A shudder seemed to visibly coarse through Heero's body. "I married her in the cathedral she picked out for the best television coverage, in the designer clothes she had picked out for me, and I placed the ring she'd bought for herself on her hand like a good, controlled puppet. I even danced with her at the reception so all the reporters could get a good shot of us together." Bitterness grew in his voice as he spoke.

The room stilled and stayed silent for a moment. "But that was all I was willing to concede," he told them. "I slept on the floor of our wedding suite that night, and Relena said she was willing to wait for me to get over my "nervousness". "

This time his eyes shifted to Quatre with a faint smile on his lips. "She tried every trick she could think of to seduce me: see-through peignoirs, soft music and candles, even porn movies and magazines were used to try to entice me into "the mood"." He smirked. "Of course I ignored her attempts, not realizing at the time how her anger was mounting. That was the mistake I made that caused Duo's arrest."

Quatre gasped and sat up in his chair. "What?"

Heero nodded as he brought a hand up to comb through the front of his dark hair. "One night," he began, "about six months into the hell I'd put myself into, Relena exploded. She wanted me to make love to her. She screamed, yelled, ranted and clearly voiced her frustration at me." He sighed with a hint of regret. "I took it all, silently waiting, and when she was done, nearly exhausting herself, I calmly replied that she willingly chose to force into marriage a gay man, and if she didn't know what that implied, she was an idiot."

Heero leaned forward and covered his face with his hands again, rubbing his eyes with the heels of them. "You should have seen her," he whispered. "She went as still as death, just staring at me. Then she told me that remark had just cost me. I watched her walk calmly but with purpose out of the room, and I could only hope she'd take her anger out on me and leave Duo alone. Five days later," he looked at Wufei, "your call was put through to me and you told me Duo had been arrested for stealing from Quatre."

Heero began to rock back and forth, bowing his head and pulling with both hands at his hair. "I knew Duo didn't steal unless he was forced to in order to fulfill a mission or from necessity, and he would never steal from Quatre," he added emphatically. He paused to take a dep breath and then continued. "After your call, I marched into her office and slammed the door. She looked up at me with an evil, knowing smirk and asked if I had a problem. I knew she arranged it, and she knew that I knew, but she never voiced it out loud. We glared at each other for five full minutes. All I could manage to get out was "I hate you!" before I spun around and left.

I was packing when she entered my room and said if I left, she would show me just how long her tendrils of power reached. She had Duo in one hand, and her clasp of power in the other."

Heero looked up at them with a tortured expression. "I had no idea about the letter or the sealed records being in her custody. Please....." Heero's manner and especially his eyes pleaded with them, "believe me," he implored.

The other two former pilots sat in deep thought, contemplating his words in silence as the moment stretched out.

"Why didn't you confide in me?" Wufei asked. "I saw you periodically, we could have talked."

Heero looked at the Preventer and raised a skeptical eyebrow. "When did you ever see me alone, Wufei? You made no overt effort to speak with me in a confidential manner and I was constrained from approaching you or anyone for that matter."

"You were in as much of a hell as Duo was," Quatre surmised sadly, finally managing to break out of the vision Heero's story brought.

"You have no idea," the once perfect soldier admitted with a groan. Then with a look to both of them he asked. "Will you tell me how Duo is?"

TBC


	9. Web 9

Web of Betrayal

By: Dyna Dee

Warnings and disclaimer on first page of fic

Part 9

Once upstairs and secured in the bathroom, Trowa helped his embarrassed friend out of his wet flannel pajama bottoms, boxers and t-shirt, then put a plastic cap over the burnished brown hair to keep Duo's shoulder length mass dry and led him into the shower. He then turned to the task of rinsing out the wet clothing in the wash basin, telling his friend in soothing tones that it wasn't his fault, but his own. He explained calmly that he knew loud voices and fighting would upset him, he'd just forgotten in the heat of the moment. Leaving the bathroom with a promise to return momentarily, Trowa went to Duo's room and retrieved another set of bed clothes and quickly returned, noting the sound of low speaking voices coming from downstairs just before he re-entered the steaming room and sat on the seat of the closed toilet lid.

From the silhouette behind the frosted glass, he could see Duo was sitting on the floor of the bathtub letting the spray of the shower rain down on him. After a few more minutes he decided to bring the shower to a quicker end. From past experience he knew Duo would stay in there for an hour if given the opportunity, and it was too late to indulge him tonight. "Come on Duo, you need to hurry up. It's really late and we need to get to bed." The long haired young man sat still, and Trowa sensed he was embarrassed from his show of incontinence downstairs as a result of their fighting. Trowa again berated himself for forgetting. No more fighting, he determined. They'd deal with Heero away from the house and from Duo. If he had to, he'd get a legal restraining order against he and Relena to keep them away from him.

Five more minutes passed before the huddled figure in the bathtub moved just slightly as he stretched his hand out for the bar of soap. Trowa sighed, and looking at his watch decided he'd give him ten more minutes. 

At the end of that time, he stood up and with a large bath towel in hand and turned towards the shower. "Okay, Duo. Time's up," he announced, and the bather reached forward and turned off the water and stood while Trowa slid the glass door open and surrounded the too slender body with the soft, plush towel that had a faint floral scent from the fabric softener Mrs. L. favored.

Once out of the bathtub, Duo stood still, eyes focused on the picture on the wall opposite him of flowers in a vase as Trowa patted his body down with the towel, then held out his fresh boxers and night wear. Once he was dressed and the shower cap removed, Trowa looked at him satisfied. Duo's eyes shifted towards the door.

"Ready to go to bed?" he guessed the other's silent gesture.

Duo huffed and narrowed his eyes, obviously a bit exasperated and stared back at the door again.

"I wish you would speak to me and tell me what you want," Trowa said calmly, but feeling a bit frustrated himself at their continued struggle to communicate. Reminding himself to be patient, he managed a slight smile and took hold of Duo's elbow. "Come on," he said and led him out of the room. 

Once out of the steaming room and standing in the darker hallway, he stopped and looked at his friend once again. "Which room, yours or mine?" 

A slender hand indicated Trowa's room a bit further down the hallway and close to the stairs. The auburn haired young man nodded to Duo's request and they moved towards their destination. Their progress was halted when his companion stopped abruptly, and turning to see what was the matter, he observed Duo looking towards the stairs from which they could still hear the murmur of voices.

"Not tonight Duo. We'll deal with what happened tomorrow," he told him, and reluctantly the chestnut haired young man allowed himself to be led into the bedroom and quickly put under the bedcovers. Trowa, still fully dressed, kicked off his shoes, removed his belt and jacket, and climbed in with him, holding his arms out as an invitation. Duo readily accepted and put his head on Trowa's shoulder as he nestled securely against his friend's side.

A yawn, a sigh, and the body next to the taller of the two stilled as sleep overcame him. Trowa wanted more then anything to go down and throttle Heero, but Duo came first, as he had firmly determined to himself, and until he was strong enough to fend for himself, he would be his top priority from now on. He tried to dispel the former Wing pilot from his mind so he'd calm down himself, knowing Duo would hear his heart pounding with anger in his chest. He forced this thoughts away from the altercation downstairs and let it begin to wander as he forced himself to think of something more pleasant to calm his ire. He thought of the evening out with Quatre and a smile came to his face. He sighed as he remembered touching and being touched by his lover and how they'd spent the time in his hotel room on the king-sized bed between satiny sheets. 

His pleasant thoughts began to take him down the path of sleep when he jerked awake as Duo let out a large sigh, and in a hoarse, strangled voice he didn't recognize, Duo whispered with longing the name "Heero."

A quarter hour later the former Heavyarms pilot crept silently from the bedroom, confident that the person he'd just left in his bed was sound asleep. He quietly descended the stairs and, as the living room came into view, he was surprised once again to see Heero, still there, but with Wufei was sitting unusually close to him and Quatre on the other side of the Japanese man, his arm draped in a consoling manner over Heero's shoulder. Heero's head was bowed, and as he reached the lower landing, he could see that he was studying a set of pictures in his hand. Even from that distance separating them Trowa knew the pictures were the ones he'd taken of Duo in the prison, standing against the wall naked, looking lost, abused and covered in fecal matter in order to fend everyone off.

"It was even worse in person," he said as he approached the three. He felt a slight sense of satisfaction as Heero's head shot up, turned to him, and his horrified eyes spoke of his inner torment. 

A few moments passed as Heero continued to stare at him, seemingly unable to speak until he at last he said, "Does he hate me?"

Trowa regarded the Japanese man before him. How he wanted to answer yes, confirming that Duo justly hated him. But even he, who held his former comrade in the lowest esteem at the moment, could read the soul-wrenching anguish on his former comrade's face, and knew that in acting on Duo's behalf, he couldn't lie.

He shook his head and moved to sit in the chair nearest Quatre's position on the couch. "Not that I know of. But we've gone to great pains trying not to mention anything about you to him."

"Where is he now?" Heero asked, looking towards the stairs.

"Sleeping, " Trowa answered as he sat straight backed. "Loud voices and fighting upset him. We need to keep our voices down, and there will be no more fighting in his presence," he warned, and received a nod of agreement from the other three. "Now, what have I missed and why is Heero still here?"

Wufei calmly and succinctly reported Heero's earlier statement. The auburn haired man's green eyes shifted between the three, trying to determine the reaction of each to the Chinese man's report. 

As Wufei finished, Trowa looked with intense worry to Heero. "If you're here, will you lead Relena and her goons to Duo?"

Heero shook his head. "She knows I came here to settle the problem between us at the restaurant." Then in a more snide tone he added. "I have her permission to stay until I make things right. She can't afford a rift between such important allies as Quatre and two of the Preventer's best."

"It makes me wonder if our lives have been manipulated by Relena's strings of power," Quatre wondered out loud, a crease of worry forming between his pale eyebrows.

Heero was quick to answer. "Probably not as much as you fear, but more than you know."

Wufei resettled himself to the edge of his seat. "You say you're unable to get to any information?" he asked and Heero nodded.

"No computers or untapped phones are available to me within the palace."

He tried again. "Any chance you've been able to figure out her contacts in the Preventers?"

"I have my suspicions, some of those that are sent to watch me," Heero answered. "But without a computer and with the tight surveillance I have no proof and I can't afford to have any suspicions leveled on me."

"She doesn't have Duo under her thumb any longer Heero," Quatre reminded him.

"But if she goes to take my ill behavior out on him and find him gone....." He shook his head. "I just don't want to her to set her sights or anger on him ever again. He's suffered enough." 

Wufei and Trowa exchanged a meaningful glance. "Heero," Trowa leaned forward in his chair, his forearms balancing him on his knees. "My first priority is to keep Duo safe, and that means from Relena. I told the prison warden that Duo's case was under investigation and he was not to give out any information, especially the news that Duo had met parole and was gone from that place." 

"I agree with you." Heero nodded, his face a mask of seriousness. "We need to keep his presence here a secret at all costs." He looked at his friends, his face showing the strain his forced life had put on him. "Now that he's away from her influence, do you think there's a chance I can leave her, the palace, and that way of life and return to Duo?"

Wufei was the one to speak up with his usual logic. "Then what is going to stop her from doing to you or anyone of us what she's done in the past? She has proven to be dedicated to her goals and tenacious at getting what she wants."

Quatre nodded. "We need you in place to give us time in order to expose her for her abuse of power and end what she has been doing."

The brief flicker of hope in Heero's eyes faded and he put his aching head into his hands. "How much longer?" he asked. "You have no idea how cruel it is to almost see a light at the end of a long, dark tunnel and then have to be told you can't go forward."

"Heero." Quatre's voice was filled with empathy as he put a reassuring hand on the Japanese man's shoulder. "We understand. But you and Trowa have sacrificed for over two years for Duo. If you can hold on just a little longer, we can insure she can never harm him or any of us ever again. Then you'll truly be free of her."

"Just don't openly defy her, at least not yet," Wufei cautioned. "She might just make a move to hurt Duo and discover he's gone. If she does, it won't take long for her to put two and two together to discover where he's gone to."

"We need an alternative place to keep him if it comes to that," Heero suggested

"We?" Trowa asked with a deep frown. "When did "we" come into this."

Heero moved to speak, but Quatre interrupted. "He's been a victim to Relena just as much as Duo in this, Trowa," he calmly told his lover. "Of course it's "we". If Heero is willing to go back and work towards ending any further misuse of power by Relena, then we'll stand close by to support him."

"And I still love him," Heero interjected quietly. "I've done all that I have because I was trying to protect him. The time that's passed has done nothing to diminish what I feel for Duo."

"But it might have changed for Duo," Wufei added in a somber tone and looked at his former teammate. "He is changed, Heero. He's been frightened, and traumatized. He's no longer Shinigami, the warrior that terrified OZ at the sound of his name or sight of his gundam. He's now an abused and badly neglected soul who needs protection and care because he's unable to do it himself."

"When I'm free of her," Heero looked steadfastly at the Chinese Preventer, "I'm going back to him. I'll protect him and take care of him, if he'll have me."

"That's a big if, Heero," Trowa said in a disdainful voice. "He might not want anything to do with you for all that he's suffered as a result of your decisions."

Several moments of heavy silence filled the living room. "Will you give me a chance to at least explain my actions to him, then let him decide?" Heero's eyes looked to Trowa, his whole manner and bearing was that of a man pleading for the second chance he was asking for.

The former Heavyarms pilot closed his eyes as he thought about Heero's request. Though he debated the merits of introducing Heero back into Duo's shattered life, the last few moments he'd spent with the American upstairs came back to haunt him.

"Duo said his first word tonight," he announced quietly and immediately Wufei and Quatre looked up in surprise and smiled. "As he fell to sleep a little while ago, he whispered in a horribly tortured voice your name Heero." The former Wing pilot's eyes suddenly lit with a spark of hope again. "His voice was hardly recognizable." Trowa continued. "But there was longing in it that I can't deny. I suppose it's only fair he hear your side of the story and decide for himself your role in his life."

To the surprise of the other three, Heero elicited a slight catch of his breath as he drew in his lower lip to quell its trembling. His eyes filled with unshed tears. "Thank you, Trowa," he whispered, his voice unsteady as he fought back the surge of emotions. "I swear to you, if he takes me back, I'll never leave him again. I'll never let myself nor anyone else ever hurt him again."

"You swear it by your honor?" Trowa demanded, knowing that both he and Wufei held their honor above all else.

"By my honor and my life," Heero answered, his voice suddenly becoming more firm and determined.

Trowa nodded. "Alright then," he agreed. "If you don't object, I'll have Quatre repeat your side of the story to Duo as he'll be more objective, then let him think about it before we let you meet with him."

Heero nodded his agreement, knowing Quatre would represent him fairly and honestly. 

"But," Trowa warned. "you'll have to be careful on any future visits. We can't lead Relena nor her puppets to suspect Duo's here."

"Agreed," Heero said gravely. He then stood and walked the few steps over to the auburn haired Preventer and extended his hand. "Thank you Trowa for believing in Duo and for gaining his release. I don't know how, but one day I'll repay you." he told him with all sincerity.

The taller man stood and put his hand onto his friend's open palm and firmly shook it. "Just keep him safe and make him happy," he told him. "That will be thanks enough." he replied. Without warning, Heero pulled him forward by their clasped hands and Trowa blinked in surprise at being embraced within his former comrade's arms for a brief moment. When they stepped back, both quiet young men looked at each other, silently communicating that the rift between them had been somewhat mended.

"Tell Relena we're fine now. That I had heard a rumor and believed it," Trowa told him.

Heero nodded. "I don't suppose I could see Duo before I go?" he asked.

"I don't like to disturb his sleep," Trowa answered. "But we'll arrange a meeting soon, alright?"

Receiving a quick embrace by Quatre and a handshake from Wufei, the husband in name only to the Vice Foreign Minister walked to the door and pulled his keys out of his pocket as he bid the three goodnight.

Wufei followed Heero to the door and quietly shut it behind him. With a quiet wish goodnight to the two on the couch, he turned to the stairs. As he started to climb them, more than ready for his bed, he encountered Duo, sitting wide eyed on the top step with Trowa's comforter wrapped tightly around him. 

TBC

  
  



	10. Web 10r

Web of Betrayal

By: Dyna Dee

Part 10, Betrayal Bridged

Quatre arrived after breakfast the next morning and sat on the couch in the living room with Duo. Trowa and Wufei sat close by as the blond related Heero's story to the silent young man looking a bit apprehensive at their informal meeting. Not knowing how much their friend had overheard from the top of the stairs where Wufei had found him the night before, he started at the beginning, when Heero was called by Une to Earth, talking in a soft voice and neutral in tone of any judgement of Heero's actions. 

Duo's evidently hadn't heard much as his hands clenched into fists and his head shook in disbelief as the story commenced. Tears intermittently flowed from his eyes and were hastily wiped away by the back of his right hand. When Quatre finished Heero's version of past events, Quatre asked Duo to think about whether or not he wanted to see Heero again. Without raising his head, the thin young man nodded his understanding and the three watched as he slowly rose from the couch and limped from the room to sit in the backyard garden to think.

Duo's four concerned, self-appointed caretakers anxiously watched from inside the house through the back window of the kitchen he inwardly struggled with the information he'd received. He sat silently and curled into himself as much as his crooked limbs would allow on the large lawn swing. The four reluctantly pulled themselves from their viewing spot and settled at the kitchen table with a cup of tea and intermittently, one of them would suddenly stand to check on the unmoving figure in the backyard.

After an hour passed, and seeing no change in Duo's position or posture, Trowa quietly went out to the backyard and knelt in front of his friend still sitting in the same position in the unmoving swing. He looked up into the tortured-filled face lined with sadness and tracks of tears drying and fresh on the lean, pale cheeks. "Are you okay Duo?" he asked.

Slender shoulders shrugged, then after a moment Duo shook his head while another tear escaped the corner of his left eye. The pain-filled violet eyes looked into Trowa's sympathetic green orbs as Duo brought his hand up and clutched his chest, showing the other how much his heart was hurting.

"I'm sorry Duo. I know it hurts and that you're angry. I want to help, but I'm not sure how to do that," Trowa replied in a voice quiet and worried.

The silent boy grunted in exasperation, most likely it was the only vocal expression of his frustration that he could make. He began to grab at his hair and rocked back and forth, trying to find an outlet for his inner turmoil.

"Duo, no," Trowa said gently as his hands moved to Duo's, forcibly taking his hands from off his head and stopping him from pulling his hair out. "Hurting yourself isn't going to make you feel any better," he told him as he held the slender wrists outward. Strands of long, brown hair trailed from between the distraught young man's fingers. Duo offered a small struggle against Trowa's grip, but in his recovering state his strength could not match the taller and stronger man.

The brief struggle ended quickly. "Okay now?" Trowa asked.

Duo shook his head, looking miserable. In a swift movement, Trowa let go of the now limp hands and put his arms around his friend, bringing him easily against his chest in a comforting embrace. "I'm angry too," he whispered into the chestnut colored hair, so soft against his cheek. "I'm angry at Relena for every hurt she's caused you. I'm angry that she manipulated people into ruining your business and then your life with Heero. I'm angry with Heero for not thinking of a way to get around her threats, for leaving you and for hurting you. Hell," he chuckled with no humor in it, "I think I'm angry that he didn't kill her from the start." He paused as he felt Duo's head nod and felt silent, hot tears wet his shirt. He knew that he was speaking of Duo's anger and hurt as well as his own and thought that maybe by speaking them, they could move past the anger and hurt, finally dealing with it instead of sidestepping around it.

"I was so angry Duo," he began again with a long sigh. "Angry at Quatre for letting his sisters lead him do to something he never would have done in the war, betray a friend. I know his grief over his sister, Irea, and his father had a lot to do with it, but dammit..." He let the thought trail off, somehow feeling that he'd already let that feeling of bitterness go, there was no need to go back and drum it up again. "But I love him Duo. I love Quatre and know he loves me. I tried to leave him, you know, just as they took you away I went home and packed my bags and left for Earth. And I did manage to be without him for a while, but I wasn't complete nor happy. I came to realize I could never be whole without him. It came as a shock to realize that the person I loved was not the perfect person I'd set him up in my mind to be. He has his flaws and shortcomings, just as I do. But I had put him in a category of someone who was totally loyal to a fault, generous beyond believing, loving everyone and everything perfectly. I was right and wrong in my beliefs. He is all those things most of the time. But I learned he wasn't perfect, and that was as hard for me to face as it was for me to see you be sent to prison for something I know you didn't do."

Again Duo nodded his head, and his breath hitched. Trowa hoped this was a cathartic exercise for both of them. Taking a deep breath, he continued as he knew he must. "And just as much as I loved and still love Quatre, Heero loved and still loves you, Duo. He has been in a trapped prison, similar but different from your's. Though he had his needs met by having shelter and food that were denied you, he was alone with Relena tormenting him and threatening you if he stepped out of line. He was effectively cut off from friends or anyone he could trust or confide to his own, forced part in your betrayal. He was bent to do her bidding in order to keep you safe. In the long run, you two were lonely and tortured souls, longing for and being denied the one thing you wanted most; each other." 

Duo lay still against the chest, the quiet sniffling the only sign of his continued emotional struggle. Trowa reached his hand up and caressed the long brown hair falling loose across Duo's back. "I leave it up to you to forgive him or not, Duo," he said softly. "It's okay to feel anger and disappointment in Heero, after all, he caused you great hurt. But if you don't deal with your confused feelings for him, if you just choose not to see him and continue on your life with no closure, I think you'll be giving Relena just what she wants. She'll have Heero, quite miserable at her side, but her's all the same, and you will be out of the picture. She may never harm you again, in fact we're all committed to not letting her near you, but she will have separated two people who were more in love than anyone I've ever seen before, including Quatre and myself. There were times we'd look at the two of you together and feel envious at the depth of emotion you felt for each other, though in Quatre I have all I ever dreamed of."

Duo began to rock in his arms again, his hands clutched and un-clutched the material on Trowa's back. With no voice to rage his anger and sorrow, Trowa knew his friend was trying to find a way to express what he was feeling. The Duo of old would slam doors, stomp his booted feet and yell at the top of his lungs. He remembered several times during the war when Duo and Heero would get into a heated argument, the sound of lamps and pictures being broken would be heard through the walls of the safehouse. Duo later told Quatre he threw inanimate, breakable objects so that he wouldn't hit Heero when he was so exasperated with him and his logic. They had both vowed to never physically strike or hurt each other, knowing the damage they could do. But Duo didn't have that outlet now. He couldn't rage and yell, he couldn't and wouldn't tear apart Mrs. L's house; he didn't have the strength in his legs to stomp his feet or run until he exhausted himself; he was trapped within the confines of his fragile body. Trowa hugged the slender body tighter to him, wishing he could absorb some of the grief and frustration his friend was going through. Then suddenly, a small memory came to him and the green eyes lit up with inspiration. Something Duo had said in the past, referring to an activity that helped him deal with the war and the nightmares that they had all suffered, now came back to him.

"Duo." He spoke gently, but there was a difference in his tone that caused Duo to pull back slightly and look up at his face. "Can you pull yourself together for a little bit? I have something that I think will help you deal with the stress and emotions your feeling right now."

Puzzled and wet, red-rimmed eyes looked up into Trowa's. Duo titled his head questioningly.

"Come on, can you stand?" Trowa stood and offered his hand. Duo nodded and gave him his right hand to help him gain his feet. "Come and see what I've got in the garage."

The three watching at the kitchen window quickly scrambled to the table as the two neared the back door of the house. They turned from their now, cold cups of tea to silently greet the two with expressions of worry and concern as they entered the room and moved past them. "We're going out for a while," Trowa told them in passing, then kept moving Duo through the house to the front door. Grabbing a set of keys from a bowl on a small table next to the front door, he led Duo out the front door, down the steps and to the left of the house where there was a small detached garage. As Mrs. L. hadn't driven herself in a car in years, she had sold the one her husband owned and the garage had long been empty when Trowa moved in. He was happy to make use of the empty space.

Finding the right key, the taller of the two opened the side door and moved inside, quickly turning on the light that hung in the middle of the dark space. There, sitting directly under the light's glow was a glossy red, shiny, souped-up motorcycle. It was sleek and looked to be fast. The black seat and handlebars contrasted well against the red body of the bike and the silver, perfectly polished engine and trim. Trowa turned to Duo. "Would you like to take a ride?" he asked. Duo frowned slightly, trying to figure out how this was going to help him feel better. "Do you think you can drive it?" was Trowa's next question.

A small smile slowly grew on the tear streaked face and Duo nodded.

"There's no helmet law here, so you might want to tie back you hair, otherwise I might be missing an eye by the time we get home."

Though still looking sad, there was a glimmer of anticipation on Duo's face as he reached into his pocket for a hair band. Trowa smiled at him and went to open the garage door. "I remember once during the war," he told his silent friend, "that you said driving a motorcycle helped you feel young and carefree again. I think you said that the wind whipping against your face and hair somehow made you feel free of all your troubles and burdens."

Duo nodded as he clearly recalled the memory.

"Maybe this will help just a little." He reached out his hand and offered the key to Duo just as he finished fastening his hair back with the band he'd pulled out of his loose fitted sweat pants.

Duo reached for it as a life line and gave a watery smile of thanks to his friend. With the key clutched in his hand, the long haired young man approached the motorcycle. He had to grip tightly onto the handlebars in order to get his good leg up and over the seat, his damaged leg strained at the weight that as put on it during the transition. Trowa was quick to get behind him. "Here, I can help with the bulk of the weight when we're stationary." He spoke quietly to his friend. The bike was righted and Trowa pushed forward to remove the kick stand. Once upright, Duo leaned over and put the key in the ignition and turned it. The bike instantly purred to life. With a turn of his wrist, the engine fairly roared, and Duo turned his head to show his obvious excitement to his friend sitting closely behind him.

"I'm ready," Trowa said with a smile and wrapped his arms around Duo's slim waist. "Turn right when you go out and I'll direct you where to go as we move along."

Duo nodded and as the bike moved forward, Trowa lifted his feet from the ground to the appropriate footholds and held on for all he was worth as Duo shot out from the garage and onto the street.

A good half hour later the bike came to a grudging stop in a parking lot facing a lake. It was a good sized lake with trees lining the rocky beach, the sparking water a deep blue. Duo's feet remained up as Trowa placed the kick stand in place and the motorcycle was shut off. The slender driver handed him the keys and the both got off and stood looking at the water in the nearly deserted parking lot. "There's not much traffic here during the week with everyone working," Trowa explained. "But it's nice and quiet....peaceful, isn't it?"

Duo nodded and sighed, and the other man saw the sad look returning to his face. "Come on." Trowa took his right elbow and led him onto the uneven rocks that comprised the beach.

The two walked quietly, each noticing the beauty of nature as it surround them. The trees were tall and green and the air smelled clean and sweet. They came to the edge of the water and Trowa went down on his knees and began to unlace his companions tennis shoes. "Sit down for a minute Duo," he instructed while reaching out to lend a hand to aid him. Duo complied with eyes looking at Trowa in curiosity as deft fingers removed he shoes as well as the socks. Then Trowa stood and pulled Duo up with him and turned to the water as he spoke.

"I know you need some sort of outlet for your anger and hurt," he began. "I thought that if I brought you here you could vent your rage against the water without hurting yourself or Mrs. L.'s home and belongings."

Duo frowned, his eyebrows drew together in completing the unhappy look.

"Come on, Duo," Trowa gently urged. He wasn't going to force Duo to do this, but somehow his friend needed to let his feelings out. "Just give it a try."

Duo's breathing increased to a more rapid rate and his body tensed. Then suddenly, he took a step forward, away from his companion. Trowa watched anxiously as he limped into the cool water, stopping every once in a while to adjust to the cold on his skin and seeping up his clothing. He went further out into the water until he was waist deep in it, then turned to look at Trowa with his face pinched with cold and anger.

"Are you angry with Relena?" Trowa asked loud enough for his voice to carry. Duo nodded sharply in reply.

"Then hit the water with all your might. Hit it for her interference in your life, for the pain she caused you when Heero left. Hit it for all the anger you feel for her."

Duo's right arm made a swipe at the water, causing a large splay of the cool liquid to shoot out.

"Is that all the anger you have for Relena?" Trowa called out in a tone of mocking disbelief. "She ruined your business, then manipulated Heero into leaving you in order for him to keep you safe. Remember when he came back from that trip and he argued with you all the time? He was trying to make his leaving easier, but nothing could make it easier, could it?"

Duo slapped with water with his open hand, then raised it and continued to pound at the surface of the lake, his face dripping with water, his delicate features contorted with the pain he felt inside.

Trowa's heart ached at the sight of his friend's inner torment, but he knew he had to keep going. "You must have been angry with Quatre and I when we saved you. You never thanked us for saving you, did you? We made you live when living hurt like hell. Show me the anger you felt towards us for making you live without Heero."

Duo spun around, almost losing his balance as his hand beat relentlessly against the water causing larger ripples to roll to the shore.

"And the trial Duo. How did you feel when you were accused of a crime you never committed? When Quatre sat with his sisters on the prosecutor's side of the courtroom and silently accused you of stealing from him. Did that make you angry? Show me your rage Duo."

Bringing up his left, crooked arm, Duo hit the tumultuous water around him; it now looked as angry as Duo's face.

"The warden told me you were so angry when you were brought to P.C. 4. How did you feel when you were put into a higher detention area? Were you scared? Angry? How angry?" he shouted out across the fifteen feet that separated them.

A strangled sound came from Duo's throat. It didn't even resemble anything human to Trowa, just the sound of muted agony. With tears flowing down his own cheeks and a sob in his throat, Trowa continued, hoping he was doing more good than harm in bringing all the painful memories back to Duo's mind.

"You were hungry in that prison, weren't you? And they cornered you and beat you before they raped you, didn't they? How angry were you at the system? Show me the anger you felt against your attackers, against the man who cut off your braid.

At this point Duo's chest was heaving as he gasped for air. If he cried tears, they were lost in the shower of water his fists and arms had created. At the last words Trowa had spoken, Duo opened his mouth and raised his head up to the sky and silently screamed. Not a sound came out of his mouth, but his grief and pain were seen and visibly understood in that silent attempt to rage against all he had gone through, all that he had survived and endured.

After his lungs had given up all the air he had in them, Duo drew in a large, gasping breath of air and then threw himself backwards into the water, allowing himself to sink beneath the surface.

Trowa waited anxiously for several moments, tears streaming down his face, his lower lip bleeding from where he'd bitten it. He couldn't hold himself back any longer and lunged forward, throwing himself into the water in the direction his friend has sunk beneath the now calming waves. "Duo!" he cried out, fearing he'd pushed his friend too far.

Thankfully the lake water was somewhat clear and he found Duo floating just beneath the surface on his back. His eyes were closed and his arms and legs were spread out as if he was resigning himself to the waters. Trowa reached down and gently pulled him to the surface. As Duo's face broke from the water, he took a deep breath and his eyes opened with a different look to them. He didn't smile, but there was the appearance of calm acceptance on his face.

"You okay?" Trowa asked, a sob of sorrow and gratitude escaping his throat.

Duo slowly nodded and motioned he wanted to stand up. With Trowa's aid he stood in the water now calming after his assault on it. Slim fingertips traced across the cool, wet surface, almost smooth again.

"Feel any better?" Trowa asked bending over slightly to see the other's face turned down to look at the water.

A nod of the wet head was his answer. "Want to go home yet?"

Duo shook his head even as his body shivered from the cold.

"Well," Trowa began thoughtfully. "We're both wet, what can we do now?"

Duo took a sigh and looked up, observing Trowa's arms were wet to the elbow and he was hip high in the lake water. Duo noticed Trowa's shirt, for the most part, was still dry, causing a ghost of a smile to form on the pale face.

"What?" Trowa asked cautiously as he observed the look.

Suddenly, a large splash of water soaked the front of the taller man's shirt and Trowa gasped in surprise and shock as water dripped from his face. Another splash followed before the former Heavyarms pilot decided to retaliate and splashed back. The water around the two young men splashing against each other, one laughing loudly, then coughing as water went down his throat, rose up and seemed to dance on the lake's surface, no longer rippling from the anger and hurt one of them felt, but by the ripples of friendship and the love two friend felt for each other.

When Duo's arms weakened, Trowa took hold of Duo's shoulders. "Lie back in the water for a minute," he told him. With a puzzled look on his face, Duo trusted in his friend and complied, feeling Trowa's strong hand supporting his back as he floated on top of the water in his sodden, heavy clothing.

"Now put your head back and just relax Duo," he instructed his trusting friend.

Slowly the blue-violet orbs closed and as he floated, the slender limbs relaxed and floated near the surface of the water, his toes and chest peeking out of the water every so often.

"Just relax." Trowa's voice was soft and soothing. "Let any anger left inside you slip out into the lake. Feel just the water against your skin and breath in the fresh air. No more hurt or anger fill you, no bitterness or rancor can be found in this place. You are at peace."

A small smile formed on Duo's face that was barely sticking out of the water. Trowa gazed down at him and marveled, once again, at the beauty he saw there and wondered, not for the first time, how anyone could possibly want to hurt such a beautiful person.

After a while Duo opened his eyes. /Done yet?/ he mouthed and his teeth chattered from the cold.

Trowa quickly removed him from his position in the water and helped him reach shore in his heavy dripping clothing. Not far from where they entered the water were several large boulders with enough flat space on them to make a good place to sit and dry off. The reached it with little effort and Trowa helped boost Duo up and saw he was comfortable before he joined him.

The laid down on the rock and soaked in the sun and silence, hearing only nature and a couple of children in the distance squealing in delight at the cold of the water as they entered the lake.

It was a long time that they lay there in contemplation and contentment, when Trowa looked to his right side at his companion. "So after all that's happened: Relena, Heero, and all the hurt and pain you've been put through, do you still love him?" he asked.

Duo had turned his head to look at him during his question, then turned his face to the sky and closed his eyes as he considered his answer. Slowly, he nodded his head, then put his hand to his chest and squeezed his eyes tightly shut.

Trowa tried to make sense of it. "Are you afraid Duo. Afraid to love him again?" he asked, guessing at the others actions.

Duo nodded again, then scooting over he placed his wet-clothed body next to his friend and lay his head on Trowa's firm chest.

Trowa stroked his hand over the wet hair. "I know," he whispered. "I was afraid to love and trust Quatre again. If he and his sisters could send you to prison, I could only wonder what they could do to me."

Duo's head nodded, but he stayed in the comforting position.

A few more moments passed in silence as Trowa considered his next words, not wanting to steer his friend in the wrong direction. "During the war," he began, "Heero told me to follow my emotions. I did, and fell in love with Quatre. When he came to my door here on earth weeks after I left him, I could have turned him away," he said in a sad tone. "But then I listened to my head and my heart. I knew I could never truly be happy without him. He came to me, offering me anything to give him another chance. He said he'd leave his home and his family, his work and even the Maguanacs. He even told me he'd give all his money away and sweep streets if that is what it would take for me to love him again."

A deep sigh came from the taller of the two. "I realized then that I didn't want to take anything away from him. All those people meant the world to Quatre, just as I did. I could have asked him to do those things and it probably would have slowly destroyed either our relationship or Quatre himself if I had asked it of him. So, I had to make a choice. I compromised. I let go of my anger and disappointment in him and told him I loved him still, but that I couldn't live in a Winner home as long as you were in prison and the real perpetrators were free. We compromised, still loving each other fiercely, but living separate lives. It hasn't been easy, but I, like Heero, could think of no other way."

More time went by as each mentally chewed on the words Trowa had spoken. "If you want Heero to be in your life again Duo," Trowa said softly to the still body resting against him, "you have to let go of the anger you feel about the past and Heero leaving you. He was, after all, only minutely responsible. If you can't do that, then I would suggest you see him one last time to say goodbye. If you can forgive him and let go of your anger, there may still be a future for the two of you yet."

He felt Duo's head nod, and the two wet young men lay on the hard, warm rock lost in their own thoughts and oblivious of time as the sun sank lower towards the horizon. 

Wufei sat in Mrs. L.'s rocking chair looking out the front window of the home. They had all been anxious throughout the day, from the moment Quatre sat down to talk to Duo. Quatre was now in the kitchen helping Mrs. L. peel potatoes for their dinner and he stood watch for the two they all hoped would return soon. Just then, he detected an approaching sound and instantly recognized it. He stood from the chair and looked out the window in time to see the red motorcycle roll into sight. Trowa was driving with Duo laying heavily against his back, his eyes closed and his arms hanging limp at his sides. As they reached the house, Trowa reached his left arm back and held onto the body behind him as they made the turn into the short driveway. Wufei was out the door in a second, heading to the garage door to lift it up for the bike and it's passengers.

Trowa gave him a grateful smile and gently eased the motorcycle into the garage. Wufei moved to their side and pulled Duo off the bike and held the sleeping body in his arms as Trowa put the bike on it's stand and shut off the ignition.

"Is he alright?" Wufei asked the other in a concerned tone as he gazed down at the peaceful looking face.

Trowa nodded. "I think he's going to be okay. We found a way to help get his emotions out."

"He feels damp." Wufei observed.

"We went to the lake," Trowa answered now off his bike and motioning Wufei to exit the garage so he could shut the door behind them.

Once it was secure, he turned and held out his arms, silently asking Wufei to give Duo back to him. The Chinese man complied, settling Duo in Trowa's firm and solid grasp. He then turned and led the way to the house, holding the front door open for Trowa and his armful. Quatre and Mrs. L. came out of the kitchen to greet them, but stopped from speaking when they observed Duo was asleep.

"He's okay," Trowa whispered to reassure them. "He's just exhausted. I'll just put him to bed." He then turned and mounted the stairs, going to his bedroom where he would tuck Duo in for the night. 

  
  


As odd as it seemed after the emotional day they'd experienced, the following morning came softly and the four living in the house fell easily into their regular pattern and routine; things seemed to be back to normal. Quatre came to the house late that morning and stayed until late evening, helping to take care of Duo by entertaining him with games of cards and checkers and helping Mrs. Lunderson around the house. Her sense of awe of the Winner heir seem to diminish with each informal visit until she eventually began to call him by his first name and smile in a more relaxed manner.

The next few days continued on in a similar vein. Duo seemed to be more thoughtful, his eyebrows pinched together in thought often. Quatre left three days after his talk with Duo saying he needed to return home and wrap up some business. He announced to the other four people sitting at the dinner table the night before that he was going to take a leave from work so he could return to be with them. Mrs. L's eyes grew wide in alarm. Quatre chuckled at it and quickly assured her he would find his own accommodations nearby, not wanting to add to the burden that having another person living in the house would bring to the elderly woman, especially the well-known Winner heir.

At his announcement, Duo's eyes sparkled with pleasure; Wufei and Trowa felt relieved to have another teammate helping them. With Relena in such close proximity, they felt the need to be on their guard and always cautious as they helped Duo return to his life. When Quatre left that evening, they all wished him a safe and speedy journey.

Five days after Heero's visit, the two, off-duty Preventers took Duo to an ENT* specialist, under the pseudo-name of Denver Barton, a name chosen by Sally. She had recommended the specialist and, using her connections, set up an appointment to occur much sooner than any other layperson would have received. Though the doctor spoke with a soft voice and approached his skittish patient sitting on the exam table in a gentle manner, Duo's large eyes looked like they would pop out of his head when the doctor explained the long instrument he held in his hand and that it was to be inserted into Duo's throat to examine it further down than he could see without it. Wufei and Trowa stood at the timid patient's side and held his upper arms while speaking constant words of encouragement and praise as the doctor eased the scope down Duo's open mouth and into his throat.

Eyes wide and fearful, Duo's gag reflex went into overdrive and he fought to concentrate on breathing through his nose as the nurse assisting the doctor instructed. His eyes squeezed tightly shut and his body trembled as he mentally fought to ignore the intrusion down his throat.

The doctor efficiently completed his exam and pulled the intrusive instrument out, then quickly tried to sooth his agitated patient. A few moments passed until Duo completely regained his composure and looked to the doctor at his side.

"Have you ever had anyone or anything put pressure on your throat, as if to strangulate you?" The doctor asked in a grave tone. With watery eyes and a deep breath to calm himself from the bad memory, Duo managed a brief nod.

The doctor turned and wrote a short note on a piece of paper and handed it to Trowa. It was an order for an x-ray.

"I'm putting a rush on this," he explained as he jotted a few notes into Duo's file. "I'll call the lab and have them put you in immediately; and if you'll come back at one this afternoon, I can tell you the results."

Neither of the two fiercely protective guardians of the fragile looking young man were happy about not accompanying Duo into the x-ray room, and that unhappiness heightened as the technician led Duo away and their pitiful looking friend glanced back at them with fear in his eyes.

"We'll be waiting right here for you," Wufei called out uncharacteristically, anxious to reassure his frightened looking friend. He was rewarded at the last moment as Duo gave them a weak smile that he was okay.

Trowa sighed worriedly, then looked to see Wufei frowning at the door Duo had disappeared through. "We're like a couple of mother hens, Wufei." He elbowed the Chinese man as he spoke and gave him a crooked smile. "Kinda pathetic for guys our age."

Wufei nodded. "I can't seem to help it, though I know you're right. He seems so...."

"Fragile?" Trowa guessed. 

Wufei nodded again. "And helpless. I wonder if we'll ever have the old Duo back again. I miss him and his joker ways," he said in a sad tone.

The former Heavyarms pilot put a hand on his friend's shoulder and squeezed it. "I know. So do I. But he's slowly emerging, isn't he?"

Wufei thought of his prank with the spoons again. "Yes, he is." He smiled at the memory.

The two men stood from the waiting room couch when Duo came out through the door. He emerged with a small smile and a sucker in his mouth. He approached them, limping slowly, with his right hand behind his back. As he stopped in front of them, he brought the hidden hand forward to present his friends with two more of the candies in his hand.

With Duo's consent, the trio decided to grab some lunch until the time to return to the doctor's office for the results of the X-ray. With baseball caps on all their heads to somewhat conceal their identities, they went to a small diner close to the medical offices and ate a hearty meal. The noise of the small busy diner kept Duo on the edge of his seat, his eyes darting from one booth to another in a nervous manner. They ended up getting their food to go and finished eating it within the confines of the car, allowing Duo to feel more secure.

At precisely one o'clock, the three sat in the doctor's office. Three chairs sat in a straight line in front of a large desk. Certificates and awards of the specialist's many accomplishments lined one wall completely. The other walls had pictures of golf courses. The doctor sat in a comfortable leather chair behind the large desk and studied the results of the radiologist's report. Then satisfied, he looked up at the silent boy who was his patient. "The finding are conclusive as to what I saw this morning," he began. "Your larynx was partially crushed, causing your vocal folds, commonly referred to as vocal cords, to be compressed. That's what causes the pressure you feel when you try to talk.

Duo nodded soberly that he understood.

"I believe I can correct the damage in a simple, out-patient surgery," the doctor continued. "I can insert a tube with an inflatable device at the end and open up that part of the larynx, freeing the vocal cords. You'll have to give that part of your larynx a chance to strengthen by not speaking for several weeks after the operation."

Duo rolled his eyes.

"I don't think that will be a problem," Wufei interpreted his friend's reaction with a slight smile on his face.

The doctor nodded and looked back at the chart. "I see here Mr. Barton that your brother doesn't have any insurance. Will that be a problem?"

"No," Trowa answered quietly. "I'll be paying in cash before the procedure is done."

The doctor nodded again. "I'll have my nurse make the necessary arrangements with the Veterans' Memorial Hospital. She'll call you with a date, time and any instructions." 

"Out patient means he won't have to spend the night, correct?" Trowa asked.

"Correct." The doctor stood, closing the file. "Denver will be in an observation room just until the anesthetic wears off, then you can take him home."

"Thank you doctor." The three stood and as the doctor moved around the desk towards them, Wufei extended his hand to shake the doctor's hand. The older man, dressed in a traditional white smock, received the handshake, but was then taken aback when Duo suddenly launched himself forward and gave the white smocked doctor a very brief but enthusiastic hug.

"Ah, thanks," the physician replied with an embarrassed grin as Duo stood back grinning largely at him and the others. The older man was obviously not use to such a display of affection from his patients.

"He's very tactile," Trowa commented with a smile at the other man's awkward situation, "and I think very grateful to you for offering him a chance to have his voice back again."

"Well, that's nice," the man replied a bit stiffly as he shuffled to the door. "I guess I'll see you at the hospital then," he added and quickly left the room.

Duo then turned and briefly hugged first Wufei and then Trowa, happiness brimming from his wide eyes.

"I think this calls for a celebration," Trowa suggested, his own happiness showing at the news of Duo's chance to talk again.

"We just had lunch!" Wufei mildly protested, still feeling quite full from eating his lunch and half of Duo's untouched meal.

"Who said it had to be food?" Trowa replied, smiling. "How about a movie and maybe some popcorn for Duo?"

Duo nodded enthusiastically at the offer.

"Let's find a newspaper then," Wufei suggested as they left the room and made their way towards the exit. The three men, happy with the news they'd been given, left the building a few moments later, intent on having an enjoyable afternoon.

That evening they all hovered around the vid phone in Trowa's room as they placed a call to Quatre on L-4 to give him the happy news and the information on the procedure that would take place in just a few days. The doctor's nurse had called as promised and had scheduled the procedure room at the hospital as well as an anesthesiologist for five days from that day. She gave Trowa the cost of the procedure, including the doctor's fees, and he was pleased to learn it would be less than five thousand credits.

Quatre heard the news and the time the procedure would take place with a smile growing on his face. He beamed with happiness at the news that Duo would talk again, and promised him that he would be back the day before to lend his support.

Each day after that seemed to bring back a little more of the Duo they had known. Trowa and Wufei took him to the lake once more, on a day Duo seemed to be having more frustration than usual. But this time they went in trunks and spent more time splashing each other than Duo did raging at his slowly diminishing anger. Time was truly a healer as they watched their friend grow more a bit more secure and less fearful with each passing day. He even began to venture around the house more on his own and his small comforter once used for security was left in the bedroom more often than not. As long as they stayed in the confines of their home, Duo seemed more secure and happy.

Quatre's shuttle arrived just after noon the day before the procedure was to take place. After a brief stop at his hotel room to leave off his bags, he took a taxi for the home housing his three friends. No sooner had he knocked on the door than it was opened, and he found himself being given a quick embrace of welcome by Duo. As he looked over his shoulder, Quatre saw Mrs. L. observing them with a loving smile on her aged face as she gazed at Duo's back.

"I missed you too, Duo." The blond laughed in a warm tone, returning the surprisingly stronger embrace.

His friend stepped back wearing a welcoming smile with a twinkle in his eyes. With a motion of his right hand, the blond knew he was to follow. 

"We're in the backyard," Mrs. L. told him as they moved slowly behind his limping friend. "We had to come in and remove a splinter he got out on the wooden table," she explained as they were led through the house to the back door to enter the garden to see a make-shift table had been set up that hadn't been there before. Wufei and Trowa were busy working on building something out of thin wood. Trowa's head rose as the back door closed behind them and they approached the two. Quatre's blue eyes met Trowa's green, and he gave his love a melting smile. 

"Welcome back," Trowa greeted the blond Arabian, who bee-lined straight for him and, wrapping his arms around the taller man and gave him a brief but satisfying kiss.

"Hi," Quatre said in a shaky whisper as he gave his lover a warm embrace. Looking over Trowa's taller shoulder he spied Wufei busily working on his piece of wood. "Hello Wufei," he said

The black haired Asian looked up just briefly to him, nodded his head in greeting and looked quickly back down at his work. Quatre sighed. Wufei always seemed a bit uncomfortable with any display of affection between his male friends. He knew Wufei didn't really object to their relationship, nor Heero and Duo's and he being a heterosexual. But really, Quatre thought with a quirky smile on his face, he should be used to it by now.

The blond reluctantly pulled back, not wanting Wufei to feel uncomfortable around them, and looked curiously down at the table and its contents. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"We're building a remote control plane from a kit we bought yesterday," Trowa answered, as he too observed the table top. "Duo picked it out at a speciality model store that we went to. It's quite a project."

"I can see that.' Quatre studied the pieces carefully laid out and several of the larger pieces were already put together, the shape of a plane could almost be made out and almost all the pieces of wood were painted blue.

"Duo's building the engine." Wufei motioned to another square table behind them. On the ground next to it was a large box in which he supposed the parts were. On the table top were only a few metal parts that looked like they would be part of a small engine.

"This should keep you guys busy for awhile." He smiled at Duo as the cinnamon haired man went to the table and picked up a part awkwardly with the hand on his bent arm and a screwdriver fisted n the other hand; he then went to work.

They chatted amiably for a few minutes before the Quatre finally worked up the nerve to break the news he had for his friends. He decided it would be wise to ease into it. "You don't happen to have anything special planned for tonight, do you?" he asked casually, hoping his nervousness wasn't apparent.

Trowa was holding two glued parts of the plane together and looked up at the question. "Nothing special, why?"

"Because I, um.....I invited Heero over," he replied and noticed all movement in the garden stilled.

"You should have asked first." Trowa frowned.

"I can still cancel." The blond young man was quick to amend. "And I wanted to ask Duo if it was alright, if not, I can cancel. Duo?" He turned to his friend who looked at him with a puzzled look on his face. "Have you thought about what I told you? If you wanted to see Heero again?"

Duo nodded.

"Is it alright if Heero comes over tonight. He'd really like to see you."

All eyes turned to the smallest of the four as Duo pushed his shoulder length hair back from his face. There was no doubt to be seen on his face or in his eyes as he looked them in the eyes and nodded his head yes.

"I was actually called by Relena on L-4," Quatre began to casually explain what had happened. "She wanted to make sure Trowa and Heero had put their differences behind them. I assured her they had, and that we'd like him to join us for a game of poker on Sunday nights. She readily agreed and said she'd tell him. I thought it was a good way to get him out from under her watchful eye on a regular basis."

"What time?" Wufei asked, looking at his watch.

"Seven."

"Then you better tell Mrs. L to set another place at the table," Trowa suggested.

**********

Duo had been agitated all afternoon. He fussed silently, but nevertheless unhappily at his small assortment of clothing. Duo had always been fashion conscious during and after the war, fastidious in his clothing and appearance. Today he obviously wanted to look good and held out his assortment of sweat clothes with a look of distaste on his face. With his unhappiness so apparent, Wufei and Quatre agreed to take his measurements and go shopping. Wufei tried to get Duo to write down on a piece of paper exactly what he wanted them to buy, but Duo refused. The Chinese Preventer even went as far as to put a pencil in Duo's hand and a paper in front of him. Duo dropped the pencil and shook his head with a frown. It was then that, now totally exasperated with what he considered Duo's stubbornness, Wufei took hold of Duo's right hand to examine it, the hand not hampered by any apparent injury like his left arm. He'd bent over two fingers to study them, never having noticed the abnormality in them before. Duo's index and middle finger looked odd, the knuckles of those two fingers looked too big and stuck out differently than his own.

"Did you break these fingers in prison Duo?" he asked as he studied the digits.

Duo tried to pull his hand away, obviously embarrassed to have another thing found wrong on his body. But he nodded that they had been broken as Wufei guessed.

"Were they ever straightened?" Wufei continued to ask even as he studied them and ran his fingers over the misshaped fingers.

Duo shook his head.

Wufei sighed, it was apparent that arthritis had set into the once broken fingers, causing Duo great discomfort if he tried to use them too much. Now it all made sense, why he always held his fork in his fist and why he refused to write down what he wanted or needed; it just hurt too much. Wufei then asked Duo several direct questions, now with a better understanding he once again found patience for his friend as he worked to figure out what clothing selection would make Duo happy. He and Quatre left shortly thereafter for a quick shopping spree at the nearest mall.

At last seven o'clock arrived, and Heero had not. Duo, sitting in new, faded black jeans and a grey t-shirt with the picture of a surfer riding a large wave on his back, constantly shifted in his chair at the kitchen table as the meal commenced in silence, his eyes glancing from Quatre to the direction of the front doorway every few minutes.

The sound of the doorbell came fifteen minutes later bringing with it a mixture of emotions to the five people sitting at the table; some felt relief that Heero had finally arrived and others felt trepidation at his and Duo's first meeting. It was clear to all of them that Duo felt both emotions.

"I'll get it." Trowa took his napkin off his lap and set it on the table as he stood. They had sat down to their evening meal at exactly seven o'clock and Quatre insisted they start without Heero in case Relena changed her mind. .

Less than a minute later, Trowa led the Japanese young man, dressed in blue jeans and a white button down shirt, the sleeves rolled up to give a casual air to his appearance, into the kitchen and motioned for Heero to take the chair at the end of the table next to Duo.

"I'm sorry to be late." Heero muttered out loud to all those present, meeting their eyes as a whole before lowering them to the table. "Relena's parting words of advice were....extensive, to say the least." He explained, his eyes were kept averted from those watching him, a sign of his embarrassment his statement brought him.

"Here." Trowa passed the main dish, some kind of chicken and potato casserole, followed by a bowl of sweet corn and a salad.

Heero accepted each dish and seemed to give his full attention to the task of filling his plate and then to his food as he began to eat.

"So Heero," Quatre spoke up to start the conversation and getting the former Wing pilot's attention. "What have you been doing these last few years?" he asked.

"About the same routine daily," Heero answered morosely. "I take all my meals with Relena, on her orders, play chaperone, guard and dutiful husband to any public appearances and private parties or gathering, professional or personal. In other words," he paused and chanced a look up at his former friends and truly meeting their gaze for the first time since he'd entered the room. "I'm her personal dog on a leash." His voice was filled with disdain and self-loathing.

With a start, Heero's shifted his eyes over to his left as Duo gently put his hand on his forearm in a gesture meant to comfort. Violet eyes, sorrowful but nonetheless beautiful looked into the agonized dark blue orbs. It seemed as if time stood still as the former lovers were lost in the lingering gaze that spoke volumes to each other.

Mrs. L and the other three former pilots watched with sadness as the man once honored as the perfect soldier, who had always schooled his emotions and reactions, slowly dissolved in front of their eyes. It was similar to watching a formidable, well-built dam, holding back millions of gallons of water form a crack as his eyes watered. Those eyes never left Duo's face as that slight crack widened and Heero's bottom lip was sucked in as he tried to hold back the onslaught of emotions roiling within him.

Duo could see the dam about to burst open behind Heero's crumbling facade. Raising his right hand, he placed it on is former lover's cheek and shook his head, silently urging him to not fold under Relena's will. Reaching up slowly, so as to not startle his former lover, Heero caught up Duo's hand in his own and turned his head to press it fervently to his mouth, giving the upraised palm a heartfelt kiss. A quiet, agonized sob escaped him and, in a flash, Heero was out of his chair and on his knees next to Duo's chair, arms thrown around the slender body, his face pressed into the flat stomach.

For a moment Duo looked frightened, his eyes quickly seeking Trowa for reassurance.

"It's alright, Duo," Quatre said softly. "Heero needs to let his emotions out, and you're the person he needs at the moment."

The straight, chestnut colored hair fell forward around his face as Duo's head bowed down, looking on the short, perfectly styled mop of dark brown hair. His right hand rose and combed through the soft hair he'd missed as much as he'd missed everything about his former lover. His left, bent arm came up and awkwardly went around Heero's strong and now tremor-ridden shoulder, holding the trembling body close. Neither young men were aware of the others at the table as they rose at a silent motion from Quatre from their seats and exited quietly to the living room.

Once in the living room, Wufei grabbed the remote as he sat on the couch and quickly turned on the television and raised the volume, hoping the sound would give the two left in the kitchen a little privacy as the four adults sat uneasily in the living room waiting to see what would happen.

With the love of his life pressed up against him and Heero's rare-to-fall tears saturating the front of his shirt, the silent young man wished more than ever that he had the ability to speak words of comfort to the distraught man in his arms.

"Forgive me, Duo." Heero pleaded quietly into the fabric, then continued, his voice reverberating off the other's skin. "I only left because I was trying to protect you. Relena ruined your business on purpose....to show me she could destroy your life if I didn't do what she wanted," he rushed to explain.

"I'm sorry," his arms tightened around the slim waist. "I couldn't think of a way to protect you. I thought of killing her, but knew if I was locked in prison for life I'd never see you again."

Slowly Duo began to rock the both of them, holding Heero as tightly as his partially crippled arm would allow for, hoping to lend some comfort to him, to both of them.

"When I refused to marry her," Heero continued, his voice small and agonized, "she said she had the information contained in your sealed records and threatened to make it public. Relena assured me that if that happened, you'd never get a job or a place to live because of it. And after she systematically destroyed our business, I knew the threat wasn't an idle one."

Heero stopped for a moment and turned his head to put his ear against Duo's chest, hearing his heart beating at a slightly elevated speed. He sighed as he remembered the many nights before the war ended and after how he was lulled to sleep by the sound of Duo's heartbeat. Those were the nights he slept peacefully, more peacefully than he'd ever slept in the last two and a half years.

When he spoke again, it was in a quiet, resigned tone. "So I acted against my heart and used my head. I left you as she demanded, as a condition to letting you live a normal life without her harassment and then, within weeks, married her against my will. I hoped to spare you of any further misery that she had the power to cause you by giving my life over to her, to be her lackey."

Heero finally pulled back away from Duo in order to look up into his sad, grief filled face. The Perfect Soldier's eyes were red rimmed with a look of misery in them as he continued. "But I wouldn't sleep with her Duo," he told him soberly. "On our wedding night, I slept on the floor despite her objections. I told her months later, when she threw the mother-of-all temper tantrums that it was her own fault we had a platonic marriage, as she purposely coerced into marriage a man who had no desire for her in any way. A man who was absolutely devoted to another of the same gender."

A tear escaped from Heero's right eye and slid down his cheek until Duo reached up with a trembling hand and wiped it away. "That was the mistake I made, the one that cost you your freedom," he whispered hoarsely, his face a mask of grief and regret. "You were arrested shortly after and she made it clear to me that she had orchestrated it because I denied her." He closed his eyes, now feeling weary to the bone. "So you see, it's my fault that you were arrested and incarcerated. And it's my fault that you were mistreated in prison and lost your braid, your voice, and your freedom. Everything you lost was because of me."

Heero placed his cheek against Duo's heart again, listening to the steady heart beat as Duo's arms encircled him. Several moment passed in silence as the two stayed in this position thinking of the past and how to deal with their tumultuous feelings concerning it. Each experienced the unexpected thoughts of possible forgiveness and, just maybe, a future beyond this moment that they had once believed was theirs.

"I don't know that you can ever forgive me," Heero said in a hushed tone, knowing he had more to say, "but I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am for how I've hurt you, and that my feelings for you have never changed. I feel for you today what I felt the day I first went to earth at Sally's summons."

He looked up again, afraid of Duo's reaction, but at the same time, he needed to know if there was a chance for the forgiveness he sought. Immediately two thin hands cupped his cheeks, they were cool to the touch and welcomed on his heated skin. Duo's tear filled eyes bore down intensely into his own, and once he was sure he had Heero's full attention, he silently mouthed the words of his heart. //I love you, too,// he told his soul mate.

Heero let Duo's hands draw him up until the two were face to face, and slowly, their lips met, softly at first, each relishing the feel of the other's lips and the sensation the touch brought and the near forgotten taste and smell of each other.

Moving slowly, lips still melded together, Heero picked his smaller love up from off his chair and brought him into his arms. He then maneuvered himself to take the just vacated seat with Duo on his lap, his legs resting over the side of his thighs.

For several moments their mouths moved gently against each others, questing familiar and longed for territory without taking the kiss to a more intimate level.

They slowly eased away and drew apart enough to speak to each other with their eyes, both seeing what they needed there, a reaffirmation of their deep seeded need and love for each other.

"I'll figure a way out of this Duo," Heero promised, his voice slightly quivering with the emotions he felt. "We have the others to help us now and they'll keep you safe while I extract myself. Will you give me another chance? I promise this time nothing will ever come between us."

Duo nodded as a tear escaped his right eye. Ignoring it, he placed his hand on the cheek just in front of him, much darker than his own fair skin. His thumb gently traced over the line of Heero's lower lip. //I'll wait for you,// he answered without a voice, knowing Heero could read his lips.

Heero smiled softly, as he always had in the past and in the presence of his lover. He leaned forward and kissed Duo's lips again for a brief, gentle but passionate kiss. They were both breathing a bit heavier, intoxicated by the touch of the other when Heero reluctantly stood and placed Duo back into his seat. He gave his love a warm, reassuring smile. "I'll tell the others to come back in so they can finish their supper."

Duo's vibrant eyes followed Heero as he stood up. As he moved to the doorway to the living room, the dark haired man looked back to see Duo smiling at him. It was the kind of smile that sent Heero's heart racing, a gentle smile of contentment in the moment. He quickly turned towards the living room to get the others before he was unable to resist those lips any further and take Duo up in his arms again.

The four returned to the kitchen, discretely observing the other two. Heero's earlier nervousness had turned to slight embarrassment at his show of emotion, and Duo's smile was brimming with happiness. Both looked like they had been crying. Not sure exactly what had happened in the fifteen minutes they were absent from the room and too polite to ask, Mrs. L and Wufei set to warming up the chilled food abandoned on the table and Quatre led conversation that turned to the following day when Duo would enter the hospital for his surgery.

Heero was brought up on what had happened at the doctor's office, and he asked questions concerning the procedure and its risks. He often looked at Duo to make sure he was alright with what was going to happen and he always received an affirmative nod. He moved his chair a little closer to the direction of Duo's side of the table so that his leg rested up against his lover's black jean clad leg. The silent man looked up at him with a question in his eyes only to receive a contented smile from Heero. His touch wasn't sexual in nature, but one of need. He craved to touch the person who had so long been denied him.

"Quatre and I will take Duo to the hospital at nine o'clock." Trowa's voice was directed to Heero who looked more than slightly distracted as he smiled at Duo. "Wufei is going into the office to see if he can track down any leads on who is working for Relena."

Heero nodded, wishing he could be a part of their plan somehow when Quatre turned to address him.

"For your part Heero, I think you should make a list of those Preventers who have had dealing with Relena at the palace. That could give Wufei a lead."

Wufei nodded and added. "I could cross check that list with the official assignments given by the Preventers to see if they match and if there are people there that have no right to be there."

Heero nodded, grateful for something to do. 

Quatre addressed him again. "I would also have you discover your limits with her. Stretch out and push the boundaries," he suggested. "It might keep her distracted enough that she has something other than your former friends to think about." 

Heero nodded, already thinking of ways to keep his keeper irritated. It really wasn't that hard as he actually did it quite often unknowingly. A small upturn of his lips displayed to the others he might just have some fun with his assignment. With a word of caution from Quatre to not push Relena too far so that she would turn her attention back to Duo and discover his current status, they all agreed their main objective was to work together to keep Duo's presence on Earth as much of a secret as possible, thus protecting him.

TBC

  
  


*ENT-Ears, Nose and Throat


	11. Web 11

Web of Betrayal

Dyna Dee

Part 11, An Innocent Betrayal

Warnings and disclaimers on first page of story

Duo's mind reluctantly crawled towards consciousness even as his stomach churned and a feeling of nauseousness coursed through him.

"Come back to us Mr. Barton," a female voice spoke through the drugged induced fog that clouded his mind. "Come on Denver. Time to wake up. Open your eyes," she sing-songed in an irritatingly pleasant voice.

Slowly his heavy eyelids lifted and he immediately squinted against the brightness of the room and at the blurry blob leaning over him consisting of pastel blues and pinks and topped by a white ball with a dark spot on top.

"There we go," the voice cooed happily. It was then he realized he was looking at the woman who kept speaking to him.

Still groggy and blinking his eyes in order to focus on the woman gazing down at him from the side of his bed, Duo had to force him mind think about where he was, and a sense panic began to set in. Had he been captured? Where was his gundam? Was this an Oz hospital?

"Good afternoon, Denver," she greeted him warmly. "The surgery went very well," she told him, recognizing the state of confusion many people experienced coming out of the anaesthetic. She quickly and efficiently wrapped a blood pressure cuff around his upper arm and proceeded to tighten it, then looked at her watch. 

Denver, he thought. Who the hell was Denver?

"If your vitals check out and you feel more yourself, we'll have you discharged within the hour, alright?"

He looked at her as if she were from another planet and wondered what in blazes was she talking about. His eyes blinked again as he willed them to focus, and as his vision began to clear, he once again looked at the woman with a better idea of what he'd seen when he first opened his eyes. She was wearing pale blue scrubs with roses printed all over the top and his mind registered that she was a nurse. She was short, middle aged, with dark brown hair and an overly plump figure that filled out every inch of her uniform. He couldn't recall in his fuzzy state ever having seen her before, but she sure was friendly.

"Now remember, it's very important that you not speak at all for a month," she said, and her words instantly brought him back to the present with sharp clarity. He remembered where he was and why. Nodding his head he let her know he understood.

"Feeling better now?" she asked, seeing him calm, his eyes less frantic. He brought his right hand up and rubbed his stomach in response. It was hollow from lack of food and felt really upset.

"That's pretty typical," she answered, interpreting his actions correctly. "I'll let you rest here a few moments to let it settle. Here," she place a straw at his mouth. "It's just water to rinse your mouth out with."

He sip at the liquid carefully, swished the contents throughout of his mouth, then spit the entire contents out into a plastic dish she placed under his chin. He was relieved to get the medicine taste and fuzziness out of his mouth.

"Your friends are anxious to see you." The nurse chuckled as she took away the small basin. "In fact, they've been dogging all the nurses on the floor trying to get information on your condition. I think they're about to barge in here any moment," she added in an amused tone and gave her patient a wink. "Would you like to see them now or after your stomach has settled?"

//Now.// He moved his lips in the hope she could read them, then winced and brought his hand up to clutch at his throat in response to the pain when he tried to swallow.

"Yes, I know it hurts," she said sympathetically in reaction to his movements, then suddenly produced a tool in her hands. "Open," she commanded, and he readily complied as a thermometer with a plastic shield on it was placed under his tongue. With that in his mouth, she then continued talking. "The doctor did have several tools down your throat, so it's going to be sore for a day or two." She then removed the foreign object from his mouth. "But remember that pain as incentive for not talking. If you do talk before it's time, you might very well have to go through this again."

His face scrunched up in reaction to her warning. There was no way he wanted to do this again. His throat felt like it was on fire, but the pressure he'd felt there for the last two years was finally, blessedly gone.

True to the recovery nurses word, the recuperating young man was wheeled out of the hospital in a chair pushed by Trowa to the car Wufei had waiting at the curb. Quatre held his elbow as he eased him out of the wheelchair and aided him towards the vehicle.

"Feel like lunch?" the blond asked as Duo climbed into the front seat of the car while Wufei held the door open for him, then shut it securely when he was seated. He shook his head. The nausea he'd felt had diminished slightly, but still remained enough to make any kind of food unappealing, and the thought of swallowing filled him with dread.

"A milk shake or ice cream?" Wufei asked with a look of concern on his face as he sat in the driver's seat next to him.

Duo touched his throat and winced, showing them his throat hurt too much to contemplate swallowing anything at all. 

"You're too thin already Duo." Trowa spoke up from the back seat as he ans Quatre took their places. Wufei started the car and began to move out of the parking lot as seat belts snapped into place. "You can't afford to skip any meals or chance losing any of the weight you've gained." He reminded him. "Sally said if you lose more than three pounds she'll put you into the hospital until you gain it back."

Duo's head snapped around to look wide eyed at Trowa, sitting directly behind Wufei. Silently he mouthed his reply. //No. Way. I....won't....go.//

Trowa and Quatre looked at their friend in astonishment.

"What? What did he say?" Wufei asked, knowing something had just happened and he missed it by having his eyes on the road and traffic.

"I'd say our silent friend here has a bit of his old stubbornness returning." Trowa told him with a growing smile. "He just told us he won't go to the hospital."

Wufei looked to his side to see Duo sitting with is arms folded and a look of

obstinacy set on his face. It certainly wasn't a look they'd seen since his return but it definitely was an expression the Duo of old wore often. Wufei smiled and looked back at his friends through the rearview mirror to see them grinning as well. Another part of the Duo they knew was coming back. It was as if layer by layer the frightened stranger who'd come home in the guise of being Duo was slowly melting away to reveal the real person they knew and missed, hidden deep inside those layers for protection.

"I was just warning you Duo," Trowa spoke up again, his voice more gentle. "That you'll need to eat something tonight. You already missed breakfast due to the anaesthetic, and now lunch. You'll have to eat something tonight just to keep your weight from slipping."

The young man in question nodded his head as a frown of worry grew on his face. He didn't want his friends to be unhappy with him if he didn't or couldn't eat something when they told him to. Since his release from the penal colony he'd been so afraid that he'd do something wrong, that somehow he'd mess up or make the people he cared for most turn away from him again. He had rationalized, during the desperate days, weeks and months of fear and loneliness in prison, that he must have done something wrong in order for his friends to turn away from him as they had, to abandon him when he'd done nothing, at least in his memory, to deserve it. At first, upon his release, he found himself almost paralyzed with fear that he would do something wrong. Sometimes that fear made it difficult to do anything at all but to let others lead him. He did recognized, however, that this was the same fear that led him to let the prison guards take care of him as if he were a child. At times he felt like a beaten and abused child that needed caring for. They had been kind to him when he felt bereft of all kindness and caring in that hellish prison, and he had soaked it up in the brief time he spent under their watchful care in the infirmary once each week. But that was in the past. His friends had all pledged themselves to keep him safe. He had them all and Heero back in his life again, and somehow, the fear that had paralyzed his actions in the past was beginning to dissipate. He wasn't quite as fearful as before, but he was still overly cautious to do nothing that would get him in trouble. 

Quatre, seeing the frown and thoughtful look on Duo's face, misinterpreted the reason for it. "Don't worry Duo." The blond spoke up cheerfully. "We'll make sure your dinner is something soft and tasty."

As Wufei merged the car into heavier traffic, Quatre took out his cell phone and dialed a number. "Quatre Winner for Heero Yuy please," he said politely. "Yes, I'll hold."

Duo turned completely around in his seat to look at the blond with a look of anticipation on his face.

Quatre smiled in reassurance at him and put his hand up as his call was answered. "Hello, Heero," he said in a pleased tone. "How are you?" he asked.

*pause.*

"I'm fine thanks, we all are. In fact," he continued in a conversational tone, "I wanted to let you know that the outing we spoke of last night went very well. Wish you could have joined us for a short time for a game or two, but I know how busy you are. I never knew bowling could be so fun." His blue eyes sparkled with amusement at the tale he was weaving as a cover for their true conversation. "Yes, we were treated very well and with excellent results. A successful outing all the way around."

Duo readjusted his seat belt to turn his body around and lean slightly over the back of his seat. The look in the blue/violet eyes seemed to plead with the Arabian to say more. Quatre couldn't resist the look, and leaned closer to the front seat so he could move the phone between he and Duo so the American could hear Heero's voice.

"Oh, and thanks for coming to the poker game last night." Quatre continued. "It's been a long time since we've done something together. Feels like old times, doesn't it? WE" he put emphasis on the word and raised his eyebrows to Duo, "Missed you a lot and WE want to see you as soon as you can arrange it."

*Pause* "Soccer game on Friday?" the blond repeated Heero's suggestion. "Sure, we can either meet at my hotel room to watch it or at Trowa's place." *Pause*

"Let me ask Mrs. L., I know Trowa doesn't like to leave her alone for too long, especially at night." *Pause* "Alright. I'll call you tonight after I've cleared the time with everyone else. Yes......, goodbye Heero."

The blond looked up at the anxiously waiting American. "Well Duo, he couldn't say much because the phones are most likely tapped, but he did say that he loves you more than life itself and wants to worship your body by making wild and passionate love to you several times a day."

Duo's breath was audibly sucked in, his eyes went wide and his cheeks turned a bright pink.

"Well, at least that's what I think "Hn", "Ah", and "I see" mean." Quatre finished his teasing with a large grin growing on his face.

Duo released his seat belt and half crawled over the seat to smack the blond on the side of his head with his right hand while Wufei and Trowa laughed at the exchange between the two, a scene so much like their teasing in the past.

"Seat belt Duo," Trowa said after finally composing himself, wiping the moisture from his eyes. It felt good to laugh again in the company of his friends.

Each day that went by seemed to hold more meaning and purpose for the recovering American. He lived each day in anticipation of his infrequent visits from Heero, who tried through Quatre's invitations to break away from Relena with a bogus reason to visit the house at least twice a week. And as a result of these visits, the old bonds of friendship that the five had once shared were not only being recovered, but were growing into a protective brotherhood.

Quatre announced his plans for buying a modest home several blocks away from Mrs. L.'s home, to which all of the former pilots were invited to frequent once he made the deal and settled in.

Wufei and Trowa continued to take care of the silent young man who was slowly becoming more and more the Duo they'd known in the past and each day became more secure. Yet they found that he was still suffered many moments of insecurity, fear and doubts triggered by the slightest change in their routine or new situations that they slowly tried to eased him into with their support. The day the UPS man came with a large box for Mrs. L. sent Duo into hiding in the deeper recesses of the coat closet. The man was large and so was the box. It took a half hour after the man left to convince Duo that he had gone. They could only assume that the man's size or appearance reminded Duo of someone he'd rather forget.

The post-operative check two weeks after the surgery confirmed the larynx was till open and a slight vocal test showed the vocal folds were free of their former constriction. Duo was strongly admonished to not speak for another two weeks until another examination confirmed the area to be still intact. The doctor then informed him that even after that time had passed and if all was as it should be, he would have to content himself with whispering for a while until he could begin physical therapy with a speech therapist to strengthen the long unused vocal chords slowly in order to avoid any further or permanent damage to them.

Cheered by the news, the four young men, once the most deadly and feared soldiers on the Earth, left the doctor's office and were busy making plans for an afternoon outing in celebration of the good news. So intent were they on each other and their conversation, that they failed to notice an elderly gentleman wearing grey dress slacks, a beige shirt covered by a dark green cardigan. A proper hat sat on top of the old man's grey-haired head. He stood just inside the lobby of the clinic, waiting for his car to be brought around. But the old man's eyes did not fail to recognize the four. No, he had always prided himself on his recall of people, faces and places. He was about to call out to the four, but they moved too quickly by him, laughing and planning a trip across town to a specialty shop that sold ice cream.

His eyes squinted as he looked at the smallest of the four, a thin but attractive brunet with thick, straight hair that fell just past his shoulders and walking with a decided limp. As he briefly focused on the face of that young man, he recognized him as Duo Maxwell, pilot 02 of the gundam Deathscythe.

His bushy grey eyebrows drew together as he leaned heavily on his cane, shifting his stiff stance. He hobbled closer to the front window of the clinic to watch the four walk retreat down the street in what appeared to be a protective circle around the limping boy. I didn't read that he'd been released from that penal colony, he thought to himself. He'd always taken prided in keeping up to date with Miss Relena as well as her friends and allies. I'll have to ask her when this happened, he decided, then looked up to smile as the white limo that was his ride back to the palace pulled up to the curb. He looked at it, thinking fondly of the girl who offered such amenities to him as he slowly but with purpose moved towards the building's exit. He was retired now from service to Miss Relena, but she gave him a place to live in the palace and always took very good care of him, her Pagan, she called him affectionately.

A week later, Duo tapped on the face of his new watch as he pointedly looked at Wufei sitting across from him in the living room. "I know he's late, Duo." Wufei sighed for the tenth time as he lowered the evening paper. "Maybe something came up."

The violet eyes rolled upward with exasperation, but with some of his strength returned, the former Deathscythe pilot couldn't contain the anxious feeling in his gut. He pulled himself up to his feet and began to pace in front of the couch, limping severely today from the ache in his left leg.

"Trowa!" Wufei yelled loudly towards the stair case. The sound of footsteps followed the call and feet were heard descending the stairs as Trowa came half way down, dressed in his robe, to look into the living room.

"He's agitated and pacing," Wufei reported, pointing to the person in question. "Are you really going to leave me here all night with him like this? Do we have any sedatives?"

Trowa watched as Duo spun around, put his hands on his hips, then stomped his right foot, and losing some of his balance in the process and wobbled a bit. But through it all he glared unhappily at Wufei. A moment after he'd felt he'd gotten his message across that he didn't like what his friend had said, he turned to face Trowa, lifted his watch and tapped on the glass.

"Heero's late," Wufei translated, trying hard not to smile at Duo's weak attempt at being angry. It was good to see him expressing emotions other than fear and apprehension.

"I'm sure he's alright, Duo." Trowa rushed to ease his friend's state of disquiet. "He'll get here as soon as he can. He's probably still getting flack from Relena from being caught by a photographer in that gay club."

Duo's frown deepened.

"We've been through this before Duo," Trowa told him, again. "Heero was testing Relena's hold on him as well as how far he could go before she gets ugly." 

Duo unhappily limped back to the couch threw himself down onto it, then blew a puff of hair up through his bangs. The pictures in the tabloid had shown the Vice Foreign Minister's husband in a close conversation with an extremely handsome blond man in a gay bar, a place he never would have frequented in the past. The bold headline declared, While Relena's Away Did Heero Turn Gay? The whole incident had left Duo feeling insecure and upset.

It was observed by his friends that Relena's Public Relations Department was quick to put a spin on the rising scandal, announcing that her husband was concerned about how gay citizens living and working within Sanq were being treated, especially since several of his close friends were of that sexual orientation. He'd entered the bar with the intentions of speaking to the clientele in regards to that subject and the picture had been taken and used out of context with what he was really doing there. 

After that announcement, Heero had been seen and photographed by the press with a happily smiling Relena on his arm at several private and public functions. Her efforts had not been in vain as it appeared that the public at large had been duped again by the queen of charades, accepting her side of the story. At a brief, hastily set up meeting with Wufei in the back garden of the palace, Heero related to him that he had learned what he set out to when he'd entered the club; he'd found his limit as to how far he could push her. Relena had made his life pure hell that week with threats to everyone and everything he held dear if he ever pulled a stunt like that again.

Having been shown the newspaper the morning after Heero's visit to the bar, Duo had stared at the picture with eyes widening in shock just before he ripped the front page to shreds. Trowa and Wufei rushed to explain the picture, but Duo withdrew into himself and limped angrily up to his bedroom where he crawled under the covers and held them tightly around himself. He stayed there until Mrs. L., in her motherly fashion, finally lured him out of his fabricated cocoon for lunch. That had been four days ago, and the last two scheduled meetings with Heero had been canceled at the last minute. Duo had become sulky and lacked a proper appetite since then.

When Quatre once again arranged for a bogus excuse for Heero to escape the palace, requesting Heero shoot pool with Wufei while he and Trowa went out, Duo had perked up. As the time grew closer, he visibly became more excited and Wufei kept his fingers crossed that Heero wouldn't be forced to cancel and disappoint Duo again.

"I'll call," Wufei offered, and pulled his cell phone from his belt and quickly dialed the memorized number. "Chang Wufei for Heero Yuy," he announced to whoever answered on the other end. "He did." He nodded and looked down at his wrist watch. "Very well, thank you." He finished the call and turned off the phone.

"He left ten minutes ago." He looked up to Duo. "He should be here in about five minutes."

The sigh of relief coming from the long haired young man was audible. He sat back in the corner of the couch and brought his stockinged feet up and pushed them between the cushions, tucking them under the middle cushion. This was an old habit he'd had since they'd first met during the first war, and Wufei was determined to break him of it. But not for a while yet, he resolved to himself, because somehow the position brought the American some strange measure of comfort. 

Seeing things had been settled down once again, Trowa returned upstairs to finish dressing for his evening out with Quatre.

Mrs. L came out of the kitchen with a tray of warm brownies and two tall glasses of milk. "Are you sure you two will be alright here alone?" she asked as she placed the snack on the coffee table, her face wrinkled with worry as well as age as she gazed at the two quiet men. "I don't have to go out if you need me to stay," she offered.

Wufei gave her an indulgent yet warm smile. "I'm sure we'll be fine for a couple of hours, Mrs. L," he replied.

She looked skeptical of his answer as her eyes moved to take in Duo's look of petulance. "What's the matter, Poppet?" she asked him tenderly as she moved towards the unhappy young man. She bent over from behind the end of the couch to give him a gentle hug from behind and kissed the top of his head.

"Heero's late," Wufei answered.

"Oh, I'm sure he'll be here soon," she said with a comforting pat to the slender shoulder, the soft look she gave him showed her real affection for the silent young man she'd been taking such tender care of.

Then looking back to Wufei, she smiled with almost equal affection. "I left the number of my friend's house in case you should need me," she told him. "Otherwise, her husband will drive me home around eleven thirty." She then moved to the chair near the front entry and picked up the sweater she'd put there earlier.

A knock sounded on the door and Duo jumped to his feet, dislodging the cushion from the couch with his feet in the process. He hobbled quickly to the door. Both Wufei and Mrs. L. noticed his limp seemed more pronounced this evening and wondered if it was getting worse. With Duo's health recovering it wouldn't be long before he underwent reconstructive surgery to his limbs. Sally had said when he gained five more pounds they should begin with either the leg, or arm, doing one at a time. Wufei and Mrs. L. continued to watch Duo as his inner sense of caution took over his need to open the door. The still silent young man stood behind the wooden door, chain secured, and inched it open just a crack to peer out of it.

"Hello Duo." Quatre's voice came from behind the door. Duo's shoulders slumped in reaction to his disappointment, but he unfastened the chain and stepped back to open the door enough to allow the blond to enter.

Quatre came in and shut the door behind him and frowned as he took in Duo's disappointed face. He then turned to find the reason for it. "Where's Heero?" he asked, knowing their apparently missing friend was scheduled to spend the evening with Duo and Wufei while he and Trowa went out together.

"Late!" Wufei answered rather sharply, wondering if he'd be answering that same question all night long. "And Mr. Pouty here is sulking."

Duo's imitation of Heero's death glare was nicely performed for the Chinese man's benefit.

"He's going to be talking soon, Wufei," Quatre reminded him with a twitching smile, "and I think we all remember Duo's voice is very formidable when he's angry."

"So?" Wufei look so unimpressed.

"So, don't tick off Shinigami," Quatre warned with a chuckle. "If I remember right, he also has a very long memory."

Wufei shook his head in resignation. "In that case, we're all pretty much in trouble," he replied.

The Heero impression and a nod from Duo confirmed Quatre's statement before the long haired young man turned completely and limped back to the couch, his face clouded with worry.

"Hey!" Trowa's voice proceeded him down the stairs. Those below turned to see him come down wearing black dress slacks and a dark green dress shirt that brought out the vibrant color of his eyes.

Quatre smiled brightly at his lover and again his heart swelled with the emotions this man alone caused to stir within his being.

Trowa, for his part, looked as if he were enchanted all over again by the blond man in the foyer, dressed also in black pleated slacks with a dark blue silk shirt. Trowa managed to tear his eyes away long enough to see Mrs. L was ready to leave with them as they drove into the city. He frowned as he looked around the room. "Heero still isn't here?" he asked.

Wufei and Duo both shook their heads. "Do you want us to wait?" the auburn haired man asked.

"I'm certainly capable of tending one silent baka," Wufei answered in a slightly indignant tone.

Trowa momentarily studied both of his friends, seeing neither one was in the best of moods. "Alright." he said a bit hesitantly. "We'll go. I'll probably be late, so don't wait up for me."

"I'll be home around eleven thirty," Mrs. L. added as she picked up her purse resting on the same chair her sweater had been moments before.

"Have a good time," Wufei said to the three making their way to the front door. 

Trowa put his hand on the door nob and opened it to find Heero standing there with his hand poised to knock.

"Just in time." Quatre beamed a smiled at the newly arrived, knowing Duo would now be placated. 

Heero no more than stepped over the threshold when Duo was there in front of him, his arms wrapping around the surprised but delighted man.

"I missed you, too," Heero said softly as his lips moved against the silky chestnut colored hair and his arms wrapped around the slender body.

Duo released his hold and stepped back, giving Heero a frown as he tapped his raised watch.

Confused, the dark haired man looked to Trowa for an interpretation. "You're late and he was worried," he told him. 

"Relena," Heero said darkly, the pleasant expression on his face was replaced with an angry frown. He reached his hands forward to catch Duo's hands and held onto them as he spoke. "Since the bar incident she's given me nothing but grief," he explained. "I fully expected her to bar my leaving tonight as she has the last two times, but she just called me into her office, laid out a new set of rules with barely veiled threats, and then told me to have a good time." His frown deepened as the thought out loud, "She's never said that to me before."

"Maybe she was having a weak moment." Wufei offered an explanation.

"I don't know." Heero sighed. "She's only civil to me in public anymore."

"Guilt, maybe?" Quatre guessed. 

The Japanese man shrugged and pulled Duo forward to put his arm around his shoulders, holding him close to his side in a posture of possessiveness. "Whatever it was," he continued, "I just want forget about it. I have to be back by eleven thirty, so I want to use this time wisely."

"We better go," Quatre interrupted, looking at his watch. "Our reservation is for eight and we'll barely make it if we don't leave now."

"Alright." Trowa offered his arm to Mrs. L. "We'll see you later then." He smiled and gave a knowing look towards Wufei. He'd earlier instructed his friend to be a chaperone for the other two. Duo was improving, but he was still emotionally unsteady, and the last thing he needed was to jump back into a relationship with Heero, especially a physically intimate one. Wufei was not thrilled at the assignment, but agreed with the reasons.

The door closed after the three exited, and the young men remaining sat on the couch; Heero on the opposite corner of Wufei with Duo tucked securely under his arm. 

The t.v. remote was given to Duo where it stayed for only fifteen minutes before Wufei rudely and unexpectedly jerked it out of his hands, complaining about the continuous channel surfing. They mutually decided on the classic tale of Horatio Hornblower and slowly ate the plate of brownies as they watched the heroic young Englishman save the Indefatigable from a fiery collision.

Engrossed in the movie, Wufei hadn't noticed exactly when the other two began lip-locking, but he was acutely aware when Heero lifted Duo up off the couch and placed him on his lap facing in the direction of the Chinese man. Duo put his head on Heero's shoulder and sighed contentedly. It wasn't long after that when the sounds of kissing returned and his eyes widened as he observed Heero's hand begin to massage Duo's thigh, then slowly work its way up to his hip.

"Enough!" he said sharply, causing the other two to jump apart looking, one of them looking scared and the other looking angry.

After a moment, Heero found his voice. "Three's a crowd, Wufei," he stated, the tone of his voice was low and husky.

"And two alone are trouble, Heero," he snapped back.

Duo held himself tightly to Heero's by gripping his shirt in his right fist and looking at Wufei warily, old fears rising again as a result of the angry tone to his voice.

"It's not like we haven't done this before," the former Wing pilot reminded him.

Wufei leveled a glare at the Japanese man. "He's not ready Heero," he told him, deciding to just speak plainly, yet calmed his voice when he recognized the fear in Duo's eyes. "You saw the file." He looked knowingly at Heero and let the words hang in the air between them. They were now all painfully aware of what had happened to their friend in the Penal Colony.

Ebony eyes watched as Heero gently pulled the smaller man away from him, just enough so they could look at each other. The cobalt blue eyes softened and Heero's hand came up to touch Duo's face softly. "I was pushing it, wasn't I?" he asked, with a gentleness Wufei had never seen before.

Duo looked uncomfortable for a moment, then gave a slight, hesitant nod.

"I'm sorry," Heero whispered. It was then that Wufei began to see what Duo had seen in Heero enough to fall in love with him, and when he had lost him, why he tried to take his own life. Heero's normally placid, cold demeanor melted before his eyes. The tenderness and love he felt for the smaller man on his lap, held tenderly in his arms, was openly displayed. Arrogance was replaced by humility; determination into adoration. The Chinese man now had no doubt in his mind as to Heero's true feelings for Duo; his love was clearly written on his face and apparent in his tender actions.

Duo leaned forward and placed his lips on Hero's, letting his love know he wasn't rejecting him, or afraid of him, he just wasn't ready to be intimate yet.

After a few more moments of locked lips, Wufei cleared his throat, loudly. "I don't want to have to break you guys up, but I will," he threatened.

Duo sat back and mouthed something silently to Heero, then turned to give a devilish grin to Wufei. 

"He says you're just jealous." Heero translated with a matching grin of his own and one raised eyebrow.

Wufei merely rolled his eyes and huffed in exasperation. It was totally unexpected when, in the next moment, he found himself with a lap full of Duo who promptly kissed him on the cheek before throwing his arms around his neck, giving him a spontaneous hug. After getting over the shock of his friend's action, Wufei brought his arms around and patted Duo's back, giving Heero an indulgent smile as the blue-eyed man continued to smirk at him.

Then as quickly as he had come, Duo was gone and back on Heero's lap. But his time he was dangling a small, black elastic band between his thumb and forefinger. It was only then that Wufei realized the slight man had expertly taken his hair fastener from out of his hair. He blinked in amazement; he hadn't even felt it.

"Why you." He narrowed his eyes in a playful challenge at the teaser while pushing his black hair back behind his ears. "If you think I'm going to chase you around the house with Yuy on your side, you've got another thing coming," he told the imp smiling stupidly at him, obviously quite pleased with his little prank. We'll, thought Wufei, far be it from me to take away his fun. But he did have a self-preservation switch in his mind warning of Heero's possessiveness. Tackling Duo would not be seen in a good light by the other man. Best to ignore the temptation. "Besides," he continued as he looked towards the t.v., "we're missing the show."

He turned his attention back to the large screen, trying to ignore the two, at least until he felt a ping of pain on the side of his head. Looking down at the couch cushion, he could see his hair tie laying on the couch next to him, it having been shot and bounced off his head to rest there.

Duo stood from off of Heero's lap, his eyes sparkling as he took a couple of precautionary steps back, ready to run if he had to.

"I take it back," Wufei said calmly, then looked to Heero instead of the rubber band attacker. "Keep him occupied.....within limits."

"Gladly." Heero beamed a brilliant smile, and with a fluid motion, he leapt from his sitting position on the couch, over the arm rest to stand in front of his lover. He immediately grabbed hold of Duo and kissed him soundly before dragging him, unprotesting, back to the couch to hold him firmly in his arms as they tried to watch the rest of Horatio's adventures.

TBC


	12. Web 12

Web of Betrayal

By: Dyna Dee

Chapter 12 - Betrayal Extended

It was nearly eleven when Wufei's cell phone rang. He unclasped it from his belt, turned it on and brought it to his ear.

"Hello," he said into the small mouthpiece. His brows furrowed. "Hello!" he said again, this time a little more sharply. After a moment, he brought it down to glare at it, then hit a couple of the buttons. "Damn phone," he complained as he hit it again with his other hand, trying to jar some reaction out of it. "It's not that old and its been acting up for the last couple of days," he explained to the other two as he gave it a firm shake and brought it back up to his ear to listen for any improvement. With a huff of resignation he turned off the offensive device and set it on the table.

Duo looked at it, picked it up, then looked to Wufei with a question in his eyes.

"It's broken." The Chinese man answered. "I couldn't hear anyone on it, and that's happened about ten times in the last four days."

Duo looked back at Heero, phone still in hand. "He wants to know if you'll let him try to fix it." Heero was now Duo's translator, a task Wufei was readily willing to concede to him. The long haired man looked back at Wufei expectantly.

Wufei looked at the useless piece of hardware and shrugged. "Go ahead," he said, and Duo's face had such a look of glee on it that it caused the other two to smile at it.

As Duo turned the discarded phone in his hand, Heero adjusted the lighter man's position from sitting on his lap to placing him back onto the couch. "I have to go now," he said with quiet regret. 

Duo reacted to the simple statement immediately by placing the phone back on the table, then turned to put his arms around Heero, holding him tightly. "I'll come back as soon as I can, alright?" The Japanese man promised as his lips brushed the burnished brown hair. "And some day soon," he whispered into Duo's ear, "no one and nothing will keep us apart."

Duo nodded and reluctantly pulled back.

"Take care," Heero said, and after a quick kiss on Duo's lips, he gave a nod of thanks to Wufei, then stood up from the couch and left the house without looking back.

Sad eyes turned to Wufei who rose quickly moved from his end of the couch to put a comforting arm around his friend's shoulder. "Have faith in him Duo, he'll do what he says," he said in his most hopeful voice.

A long, silent sigh escaped the long haired young man and he looked down at the table and the cell phone he'd placed there a moment before. Reaching into the pocket of his jeans, he pulled out the Swiss Army knife Quatre had given to him as a gift and pulled out the miniature screwdriver.

"You're going to attempt that now?" Wufei asked in disbelief. He had been hoping to get to bed early for once.

Duo nodded and made a motion with his hand, signaling Wufei to go to bed.

"No, I think I'll stay up and watch the late-night news," he replied and went back to his previous spot on the couch, picking up the t.v. remote control as he sat down once again.

Between news reports, Wufei watched as Duo opened the cell phone's outer casing and began to dismantle it layer by layer, setting each piece out on the table in order from left to right. Duo paused after a short while to look at the pieces and to shake out his right hand; it seemed even holding the screwdriver for that short of time had brought him some pain. The first item in the row of parts was the back casing of the phone, the GPL* chip every Preventer issued cell phone contained, and a miniature circuit board. But before he could go much further, a loud knock at the front door startled both young men. Duo's head turned with a jerk to look over his shoulder at his companion with a worried look in his eyes.

Wufei frowned and looked at his watch. "I can't imagine who that could be at this hour. Maybe Mrs. L. forgot her key," he suggested to ease the other's worry.

Duo shook his head in disbelief of Wufei's suggestion. Both of them knew the elderly woman was not capable of such a forceful knock.

The knock sounded again, strong and firm. "I'll get it." Wufei stood. "But be ready to run if you have to," he warned, then waited until Duo nodded in agreement.

He walked to the front door, wishing he had his gun on him and grateful for the closed curtain over the small inlaid glass within the door. With his hand on the doorknob, he looked back to see Duo had come to his feet and was watching him from the far end of the couch with a look of uneasiness mixed with a trace of fear on his face. He turned back to the door. "Who is it?" he called out.

"It's Lucretia Noin, Wufei. I need to speak with you."

Again the two in the room exchanged curious glances, having recognized the voice as belonging to the person she claimed to be.

"Is this Preventer business?" he asked, facing the door again.

"I'm tying up some loose ends on an old case, and I need to speak with you to do that."

Wufei turned and motioned Duo to move into the kitchen so their unexpected guest wouldn't see him.

Duo nodded, then bent to pick something up from the table, then silently limped to the back part of the house.

"Couldn't you have called me?" Wufei continued, his irritation sounding in his voice. "I'm about to retire for the night."

"Your cell phone doesn't seem to be working, Wufei," she answered. "And you know I wouldn't be here at this hour if this wasn't important."

Wufei sighed and opened the door to reveal not only Noin, but also agents Harris and Birmingham, two men he deemed questionable in their actions, who had been brought up on reports for their over-zealous behavior during the last two years. The Chinese man had always thought them to be unscrupulous and sneaky and managed to avoided working with them. Their presence behind the black haired woman did not bode well with him. He put his foot behind the slightly opened door to bar them entry.

"Are they your secretaries or official butt wipers?" he asked in a sharp, reproving tone as he spitefully glared at the two.

Noin ignored his snide remarks and attitude and with a grim face she held out a paper for Wufei to look at and recognize its importance. It was a warrant for the arrest of one Duo Maxwell.

"What the hell is this?" Wufei's eyes narrowed with anger building inside him.

"We're here to take custody of Duo Maxwell and return him to Penal Colony Four," Noin announced in a no-nonsense voice.

"On what charges?" Wufei demanded loudly, hoping Duo could hear the commotion and sneak out the back door.

"For gaining illegal parole from that colony."

"Illegal!" Wufei shouted, his anger was reaching the breaking point quickly. Knowing that Duo's presence was now known to others, he responded honestly. "Trowa met with the Warden, paid the fees required and was given custody of Duo. There was nothing illegal about it other than the way Duo was treated there."

"That's not for me to decide," Noin replied, looking uncomfortable with the situation. "I'm here to enforce the warrant."

"This is Relena's doing, isn't it?" he asked through his gritted teeth. "She's already under investigation for obtaining secret documents to use in an illegal manner to harm Duo for her own purposes. If you think any of us pilots will stand by and watch..."

His words came to a halt when a loud popping sound coming from behind Noin coincided with a sharp pain in his shoulder. With a disbelieving glance down, he saw that he'd been hit by a tranquilizer dart. Betrayal shone in his eyes as he looked up again into the woman's face before him. "Run!" he shouted in a last-ditch effort to save Duo, even as he felt his muscles relax and his body crumple down to the floor. His last thoughts were for Duo, praying he would be able to get away.

Duo listened carefully to the conversation at the front door from inside the dark kitchen. When he heard the tone of Wufei's voice, telling of his growing anger, he sensed trouble. But once he heard Noin state her purpose, he backed closer to the kitchen door that led outside, pocketing the small tracking chip he'd taken from Wufei's phone when he left the living room. Panic flowed through him as he tried to think of where he should go. His instincts took over and he exited the house silently and, in the dark of night, he made his way to the side of the house and to the gate that would let him out of the fenced yard.

A clear, loud popping sound was heard followed by a strangled cry of "Run!". Wufei's voice sounded panicked, and then, from the outside of the house, Duo heard footsteps running through the rooms in what must be a search for him. With his slightly trembling body pressed up against the edge of the house, he chanced a look at the front yard and saw that the front porch, with its welcoming porch light on, was empty, the front door was open, spilling even more light from the entry out onto the porch and front steps. Directly in front of the house was parked a dark, obviously government issued van with its headlights out and the faint sound of the purring motor that was barely audible. In the darkness he couldn't tell if anyone was there or not, but he realized he had no choice but to chance leaving the temporary safety of the shadows for the sidewalk as his gimpy leg wouldn't allow him to climb fences without a lot of noise and commotion. So with fear and determination pushing him, he forced himself away from the shadows and ran out of the yard and down the street, staying as close to the bushes and dark shadows as much as possible. His irregular gait was the only sound in his ears until he heard a shout from behind him accompanied with the pounding of feet on the pavement in pursuit.

With his bad arm tucked in tightly against his body, he forced his damaged leg to move faster. The fear driven rush of adrenaline drove him on and seemed to produce the speed he needed to get away. With panicked tears filling his eyes, he realized the footsteps chasing him were drawing closer. /Please God, don't let them catch me. Don't send me back there. Please God.....Heero,// he desperately cried out in his mind and suddenly, he was plunged forward and fell as he was tackled from behind.

His hands automatically responded to the forward, falling sensation by reaching out to try and catch himself. But the extra weight of his pursuer on his back added to the momentum of the fall, causing not only his hands to scrap painfully against the pavement, but a shock of pain simultaneously occurred with a clear sounding snap of bone as he crashed face-forward onto the sidewalk. His agonized scream was heard only in his head in response to the jolt of pain that shot out from his weaker, upper left arm and spread like a shockwave throughout his body.

The person behind him quickly scrambled up and held him down with his knee. He immediately grabbed both of Duo's arms and wrenched them back in preparation of putting the handcuffs on, and with quick, practiced efficiency, unknowingly causing his prisoner unbearable pain to his already shocked system, the metal restraints clicked into place. And when his attacker picked him up and carelessly tossed him onto his back, Duo felt the broken bone break through the skin of his upper left arm and blackness engulfed him without even seeing who it was that had taken him down.

****

A sound, very far off, entered his thoughts and he frowned at its interruption of sleep. His mouth, he realized, tasted like bitter medicine.

"Wufei!" He felt someone tapping relentlessly on his cheek. "Wake up Wufei." There was a tone of command coming from a voice he now vaguely recognized as Quatre's.

Ouch! That slap hurt, he thought and groaned in reaction. His eyes as well as his mind didn't want to obey the order.

"Wufei, wake up. Where's Duo? What happened?" 

The fog in his mind cleared just enough to register the tone of fear in Quatre's voice. Then, with muted wonder at such an unusual sound, his memory came back like the sudden opening of a door. Now with a sense of urgency, Wufei forced his mind back to a fuller state of consciousness. His body reacted sluggishly to his will as he slowly blinked his eyes open and, with his vision blurry, he barely recognized Mrs. L standing behind the couch looking down at him while wringing her hands, her face lined with worry. Her aged eyes were close to spilling the tears that were welled up in them. Trowa and Sally hovered over him from the other side of the couch and over the back of Quatre who knelt at his side looking very upset.

"What happened Wufei?" Trowa asked anxiously.

"Oh Nataku!" he groaned. "Did he get away?"

"Duo?" Quatre asked. "Tell us what happened."

"Help me sit up," Wufei said weakly, trying to organize his fuzzy thoughts. He felt hands raising him into a sitting position, propping his back against the arm of the couch.

"Mrs. L. came home at eleven thirty and found you unconscious on the floor with a tranquilizer dart embedded in your shoulder." Quatre related what they knew to their groggy friend. "She called Trowa on his cell phone and we got here around midnight." Blue eyes concentrated fully on the unfocused black ones. "Where's Duo, Wufei? He's not here."

"Told him to run," he answered in a thick voice. He felt a glass of water put to his lips and he greedily drank from it.

"I gave you a shot of stimulants to counteract the tranquilizer." Sally told him in a soft voice. "Otherwise you'd have slept until mid morning." 

"Time?" he asked

"One-thirty a.m." she replied and moved her hand up to lift his left eyelid open to check the dilation of his pupil's.

"Noin came to the door shortly after Heero left at eleven," he began to explain and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he lowered his forehead into his upraised hands to ease his growing headache and nauseousness.

"She had those two goons with her." He recalled the scene in his mind.

"Goons?" Trowa asked with a frown.

Wufei nodded. "Harris and Birmingham," he replied, and with his head down he failed to see the look of anger spread across Trowa's face. "She had a warrant for Duo's arrest."

"That must mean Relena knows?" The blond moaned and shook his head. "On what grounds did they serve the warrant?" Quatre asked in a dismayed tone of voice. "Duo's been with someone from the moment Trowa bailed him out. What charges could they have come up with?"

"Illegally being paroled from the Penal Colony."

"That's a lie!" Trowa hissed angrily.

"It's an excuse," Quatre amended, his voice also clipped with momentary anger.

"Did you contact Heero?" Wufei asked, pulling an errant strand of hair back behind his ear.

"We've tried to contact him by phone and we were both been denied access to him," Trowa answered as he motioned to the others. "Sally tried, and she couldn't get through either."

"Oh my," Mrs. L.'s trembling voice spoke up. "Do they have our boy then?" she asked. "What will they do to him?" Her worry was palpable to the others in the room.

Sally spoke up to answer her question in a calm tone. "Since Duo hasn't shown himself, I think we have to assume he'd been taken into custody." Her voice sounded grave. "I'm going to call Une and see what she can tell me."

"Do you think that's wise?" Quatre queried. "She may be involved in this as well. Were the Preventers sent out by her or Relena? Lady Une is the only person, other than ourselves, who knows of Duo's whereabouts." 

Trowa shook his head. "I don't think so, but if she is involved, she may tell Sally before she'd admit it to us. We have to turn to someone for help," he added.

Sally stood and removed her cell phone from her belt and moved off a bit to make the call.

"I'm sorry," Wufei said in a defeated tone.

"Don't be," Trowa replied sharply. "It wasn't your fault," he told him. "I just wonder how the hell Relena found out about him being here."

"I don't know," Quatre answered thoughtfully, "but it could have been from one of her Preventer leaks, the Penal colony, or from someone who recognized Duo from one of our outings and reported it. We all knew it was inevitable that she would find out one day."

"I should have been more careful." Trowa castigated himself as he threw himself ungracefully onto the chair opposite the couch. "When he was healthy enough, we should have moved Duo to a more secure location, far away from here." He leaned forward and buried his head in his hands. "I promised him no one would ever hurt him again," he moaned feeling miserable at his failure to keep his word to Duo.

Quatre eased himself next to his shaken lover, sitting on the arm of the chair with his arm over his shoulder. "We'll get him back Trowa, even if I have to go into that dammed Penal Colony and trade my own colony to free him. I promise you he will never have to stay a day in a place like that again."

Wufei sat hunched over on the edge of the couch feeling as miserable as Trowa. He felt sick, both from the drugs in his system and from Duo's disappearance and his own failure to keep him safe. Though as miserable as he felt, he shuddered to think about what Duo was feeling at that moment.

Sally came back into the room as she closed her cell phone. "Une said she was unaware of Preventers having a warrant for Duo and that Noin, Harris and Birmingham were assigned to different cases. They shouldn't have been here at the house in the guise of Preventers and they had no authorization to use a tranq gun."

"Looks like we know who Relena's moles are," Quatre said with a frown. They'd worked with Lucretia Noin in the war and she had become a trusted ally. Her betrayal of Duo stung bitterly.

Sally continued with better news. "She's going to alert the air and space ports to stop any of them from leaving Earth with Duo on the grounds of checking the validity of the arrest warrant. Even if it is legitimate, Duo should first have been turned over to the Preventers and then processed through the system before returning him to the Penal Colony. What Noin has done goes way beyond suspicious for Une."

"Then we have some time," Trowa said in a dull voice, his face still cradled in his hands.

"Yes," Sally replied. "We need to find them and keep Une informed of any progress."

"And Heero?" Wufei cut in. "He needs to be told," he said firmly as his mind shifted back to a few hours previous when Heero had gently held and kissed Duo, promising love and safety to the young man whose life had been so shattered. 

"I'll do that." Quatre volunteered. "The palace is used to me being there. I believe I can gain access to him."

"Relena is likely to be unhappy with you for withholding information about Duo," Trowa said to the blond, worry lining his face.

"To bad," Quatre answered with a determined frown. "What can she do to me besides be unpleasant?"

"Did we ever consider she'd have power over Heero?" Wufei reminded him as his mind slowly cleared enough for him to participate in the planning.

There was a moment of contemplative silence before the Arabian spoke again. "I'll be careful," he assured them.

"I need to make some calls," Wufei said and moved to rise from his seat. "I'll check with security at the Preventers to see if they took him there. We can also send a fax out to local hotels and motels with an alert to contact us if Duo and his captors are spotted. But I need a phone."

"What happened to yours?" Sally asked looking at the partially dismantled parts on the table.

The Asian man shrugged. "I kept getting phone calls but no one was on the other end, so I let Duo tinker with it for a while after Heero left," he explained as his attention turned back to the parts on the coffee table. His eyebrows lowered as he looked at the pieces laying in a straight line, evenly spaced, and noticed that a part was missing from the line-up.

Sally, watching him closely noticed the look he gave the cell phone pieces. "What?" she asked.

"There's a part missing," he answered and scooted forward on the cushion to pick up the half disassembled phone, he looked at the pieces to determine which part was missing. He mentally put each piece back into the casing until he came to the empty spot. "It's the GPL chip," he said excitedly. "Duo took it," he told them with eyes lighting up at his discovery. "Every Preventer cell phone has it in order to trace their position if something goes wrong. Duo took it when he left the room."

"Sally," Quatre's eyes sparkled. "Call Une and see if someone can put a trace on the GPL chip in Wufei's phone. If we can find it, we will probably find Duo."

The blond then turned to Trowa and quickly embraced him. "I'm going to the palace to get Heero, even if I have to stand outside his window and throw rocks I'll get his attention and get him out of there and bring him to Preventers. Let me know if you find anything."

"Be careful," Trowa admonished his lover and, with a quick, fierce kiss, the CEO of Winner Enterprises turned and disappeared out the front door and into the night determined to accomplish his mission.

Sally got on her phone and the other two Preventers moved to get their laptops to start a rescue mission. 

TBC

*GPL - Global Positioning Locator


	13. Web 13

Disclaimer: See first page of story

Web of Betrayal

Dyna Dee

Part 13 Effects of Betrayal

Warnings: Violence, NCS , Mild Language.

"What the hell were you thinking, Schmidt?" Noin's accusing voice was the first thing that registered in Duo's mind, and then he came to and realized he was in a moving vehicle, laying on the floor and in considerable pain.

"I tagged and cuffed him like I would any fleeing suspect," a deep voice with a heavy German accent replied defensively. "When I flipped him over, he opened his mouth as if to scream but nothing came out. His eyes just rolled up into his head and he passed out."

"That face of yours caused another prisoner to pass out," another male voice said with amusement.

"Shut up," Noin snapped. "This is no time for joking around. Where's the flashlight?"

Duo remembered now, and the mind shocking pain coming from his broken arm brought back the reason why he'd passed out. He shrank back from the light as it flashed on his face and squeezed his eyes tightly shut. He gasped at the pain he felt when the blood soaked sleeve of his shirt was ripped to reveal the damage to his arm.

"You idiot, Schmidt." Noin snarled unhappily at the man who'd captured him. "You broke his arm. Dammit." She swore angrily. "I can see the bone sticking out."

Duo swallowed hard and forced back the tears brought on by the throbbing pain in his arm and tried to follow the conversation.

"Just a minute Duo." She knew he was awake. "I'll get the cuffs off."

"What do we do now?" a third male voice asked from the front of the car.

"Let me think," she replied and the rattle of keys were heard as they were transferred from hand to hand.

Duo voluntarily rolled slightly on his side to position his hands for easier removal of the metal handcuffs. He mentally screamed in agony as pain coursed from his arm through his body as she lifted his hand slightly to put the key in the lock.

"Duo?" she called out in a concerned voice as the cuffs were removed and she felt his body trembling from shock. "What's the matter with you?" Her voice became more gentle as she sensed that something was terribly wrong, something more than a broken arm. The sound of his rapid, sometimes hitched breathing was the only sound in the car for several moments, and validated her worry.

"Something's definitely wrong here," she observed to the other Preventers. "We need to take him somewhere and analyze the situation."

"Where?" came a deep incredulous voice. 

"Our orders are to take this guy into custody and transport him back to PC-4." A different male voice said in an irritated tone. "I say we do as we're told or you know what will happen."

"Harris." Noin's voice was condescending. "He's got a bone sticking out of his arm and blood all over his shirt and body. The port authorities are not going to let him go into space in this condition."

"Let's take him to your place then," Harris shot back angrily.

"No!" she replied firmly. "We're not taking this mess into my home. My husband is due home in the morning and I'm not involving him in this. Besides, don't you think that's one of the first places they'll come looking for us when Wufei wakes up?"

"Schmidt wasn't seen," Birmingham said with no enthusiasm. "We can go to his place."

"You three are thick as thieves at work. Don't you think they'll come looking for all of us once Wufei reports who he saw and what happened?"

"Was that warrant legit?" Schmidt asked, and Duo listening was beginning to distinguish the three men's voices and put them to their names.

"It has a judge's signature on it," Noin replied. "But I'll bet my last dollar he was coerced into doing it, just as we were into doing this," she added bitterly.

Duo then saw the light flash through his eyelids and knew the woman he'd come to trust during the war was looking at him again.

"I've fought beside this kid in the wars, and he doesn't deserve this." She continued in a sad, apologetic tone as she studied the frail looking former pilot. "Lord Duo, what's happened to you?" she asked him as the flashlight's beam went over his body again.

"So what do we do?" the voice of Harris spoke. The car was quiet for a moment.

"Go downtown." Her voice, with the ring of authority to it, finally broke through the uneasy stillness caused by the tangible nervousness within the car. "Take the expressway to Chancellor Street."

Her directions meant nothing to Duo as he listened carefully. He'd been to a few places in the city, but didn't know enough to tell him where they were taking him. He just hoped that wherever they ended up, he'd find a way to escape.

They traveled for roughly twenty minutes with Noin telling the driver where and when to turn. Duo stayed on the floor of the van in as small and unobtrusive as possible for a person at the age of nearly twenty. He'd learned a long time ago in prison that you didn't bring any undue attention on yourself. If caught, you kept small, still and as quiet as possible. 

"I'll key the security," Noin said as the car pulled into a parking garage and came to a stop and the engine was turned off. Immediately, the back door slid smoothly open and Noin stepped out, then the door shut quietly behind her.

The radio went on and a news station was rambling on about local issues. Five minutes passed as the news reporter began to discuss the series of meetings that week with the ministers of Earth and the space colonies. The talks would include improving relations and discussing trade and immigration laws. Vice Foreign Minister, Relena Peacecraft Yuy was to speak at the breakfast meeting that morning at the Remington Suite Hotel in downtown Brussels.

One of the guards snorted and another said something derisive about her highness, the Queen of Blackmail.

The car door opened and the radio went off as the car keys were removed. "Let's go, the coast is clear," Noin declared confidently in a hushed voice. 

"Whose place is this?" Schmidt asked, equally quiet.

"Sally Poe's," she answered, knowing that they knew exactly who she was. "She's not home right now, but when she arrives she can help us out. I've got a key to her apartment. She's a doctor and can fix him up for transport."

Duo felt hands on his body and shrank back from the touch as dark memories from PC- 4 flooded his mind.

"Come on kid, I don't want to hurt you," the voice of Birmingham said not unkindly.

"Here, let me," Noin said from behind him. With a gentle hand pressing under his shoulders, the wounded and frightened young man let her ease him up as he bit his lower lip to deal with the pain. "Come on Duo," she urged softly, "let's get you inside and into a more comfortable position."

The black haired woman frowned as her prisoner docilely allowed himself to be eased out of the car and led into the apartment building with the three large Preventers who surrounded them. She noticed Duo's pronounced limp and wondered if it was a previous injury or another one Schmidt may have inflicted in tackling the smaller young man.

They entered Sally's apartment to find it neat and tidy. The decor of the wall and fabric of the furniture were done in rich tones, but definitely feminine in its theme.

"Do we call in our delay?" Schmidt asked.

"Tomorrow, after business hours begin," Noin answered, not wanting to deal with one of Relena's temper tantrums or threats. She raked her manicured fingernails through her short, black hair. "Damn," she swore just under her breath. How she was ever going to get out of this, she hadn't a clue.

Duo carefully eased himself down and into the corner of the dark, forest green leather couch where Noin had led him. His eyes squeezed shut again, and his breathing appeared rapid. The fact that he was in a great deal of pain was obvious, but Noin wondered why he wasn't railing at her like she'd expected him to. During the war, she'd worked with the sometimes unpredictable pilot of the gundam Deathscythe and knew he liked to talk and tease and yell his head off if he felt so inclined. She felt her uneasiness grow realizing that he hadn't uttered a word since being taken into custody.

With a look of growing concern for the young man huddled into himself on the couch, she knelt down in front of him to look into his pain-etched face. "Duo," she called his name softly. "What's happened to you.?"

His unforgettable blue-violet eyes opened halfway as his pained eyes met hers. He brought his uninjured arm up so that his hand could touch his throat and he moved his lips to silently say, //I can't talk.//

Now, in the brighter light of the apartment, the woman who had once been an ally of this boy, got a good look at the person she had fought with and grudging admired during the wars. Her eyes took in his thin body, his braid was gone, and then with the lack of voice, she felt sorrow build inside herself for the drastic changes in the once proud Shinigami.

"Did his happen to you in prison?" she asked him.

He nodded his head, then turned and looked away from her, signaling he didn't want to continue with that topic.

A few moments of serious contemplation passed before she spoke again, not having moved from beside him. "You didn't do it, did you Duo? You didn't steal that egg from Quatre, did you?"

Again, the shake of his head answered her question.

Anger welled up inside Lucretia Noin. "She did this, I know she did," she hissed angrily in response. "Not that she dirtied her own hands." She laughed bitterly. "No, that's not Relena's style. But I have no doubt she instigated your arrest by manipulating people and/or circumstances to have you incarcerated."

Duo turned to look at her, fear now mixed equally with the pain in his eyes. //Relena? She knows where I am?// He mouthed the question.

"Yes," the black haired Preventer answered with a quiet, venomous voice.

//Let me go.// Duo's eyes pleaded with her, seeing she had an equal dislike of Relena.

Noin shook her head and closed her eyes against the sight of his pleading face. "I wish I could, Duo," she said in a tight voice. "But she's....blackmailing me, just like she's blackmailing these guys." Her head motioned to the three men sitting in the other chairs tensely waiting for their next orders. "If I don't take you back to PC-4, she'll tell Zechs about my...mistake....and he'll leave me." She turned her head away in shame. 

Feeling a touch on her arm, she turned back to look into Duo's face again. //Free yourself,// he said with an earnest expression on his face.

She paused to think about his silent admonition for a moment, then sadly shook her head. "I can't." She looked apologetic. "I can't take the chance that I'll lose him." With that said, she stood and went to the kitchen to make some coffee; it was going to be a long night.

Duo's eyes watched Noin leave, then turned his head to look nervously at the three men who hovered largely around the room. Chilling memories of his last two years brought back the need to hide; that instinct had saved him numerous times during that horrible time in Section 10. Bringing his legs up onto the leather cushion, he curled up as much as possible, trying to make himself small and unnoticed. 

With his eyes closed, his memory went back in time, remembering scenes of his first month in the hellish prison. He'd fought and used all his skills gained on the streets of L-2 and as a Gundam pilot to protect himself. But it wasn't enough, not in comparison to the tenacity of the hardened criminals he was doomed to share a living space with. Those men had as much street smarts as he had, and they simply wore him down. 

The inmates eyed him, their next target, and systematically brought him down. First, he was first cut off from the food lines in the cafeteria, the place where they originally tagged him. Even after two years, he clearly remembered entering the large room giving it a cautious, quick study of the clusters of rough-looking men that had gathered there for their next meal. He realized that the prisoners' groupings seemed to be organized groups, like the street gangs of L-2, and by the calculating looks he felt from them, it was clear his that age size and appearance had marked him as an easy target. There had been no question in his mind as to what they targeted him for. Being well aware of his physical appeal, the look many dubbed as beautiful even though he was male, he also had no illusions as to the affect his appearance had on some people. That might have been to his advantage anywhere else, but there, in that prison, his large, expressive eyes, delicate facial features and long, braided hair worked against him. He had recognized the familiar looks of lustful anticipation in the other inmates' eyes as they followed him through the food line on that very first day. From that one-time venture into the cafeteria only hours after his arrival, he went on the defensive, guarding his life, his body and his sanity.

A shudder coursed through his tightly held body as his memories shifted again. He recalled the hollow ache in his belly at having been almost a week without any substantial amount of food, the cafeteria was a place he would never to go again as he recognized the danger to him there. He resigned himself to stealing whatever he could, but it proved to be a difficult task and what little he took was not enough to give him the strength he needed when at last he was cornered. 

It was in the alleyway, outside of his assigned room that he'd never even slept in, that he was finally caught. They'd cornered him and, in his weakened state, beat him senseless; his breath hitched at the flash of memory of large hands inflicting horrendous pain on his body and soul. When he came to, a group of men were shouting and fighting almost directly over him. He panicked when he discovered he was helpless to move as having been hog tied with his own clothing. He lay on the cold floor naked and horrified as he watched as the largest man of the group fighting over him beat his competition into the ground one by one. 

With a final challenger surrendering to the man with the bloody fists, the tall, dark man laughed loudly and turned. With eyes wild with triumph, the hulking brute called Fist came for him. For the last two years of his miserable existence he knew without a doubt that this was the worst memory he carried away from Section Ten. The man was not only large, but he was brutal and anxious to prove his place within the echelons of the penal colony's society. With his competitors all beaten and watching, the victor claimed the spoils, and he had been brutally raped. His screams echoed down the alleyway as the crowd gathered around to either watch the show or cheer on his torturer.

Fist also proved to be a generous victor and offered to share his used prize with those men he didn't want coming at his back because he'd beaten them. None of those men looked to be any more compassionate than their victor. As it was, only one of them had a go at his body before a warning shout went out, thankfully interrupting the second man's attack, that the guards were coming. The men hastily disbursed in all directions leaving him sprawled out on the colony floor for the guards to find.

Duo didn't think he'd have survived if it hadn't been for the prison guards coming to his rescue. He was in shock and bruised on almost every inch of his body. It took the doctor several hours to stabilize him and repair the damage caused by the attack. The days spent in the infirmary were a brief period of respite, but he lived with a feeling of dread in knowing he would be returned to the prison as soon as he was deemed healthy once again.

Every seven days thereafter he was pulled back into the haven of the infirmary and was informed it was due to Quatre Winner, who sent extra money for his care. He had been angry and bitter at first, feeling betrayed by Quatre at his refusal to believe in his innocence. But he came to a point of feeling just pure gratefulness for Quatre's gift. One day out of each nightmarish week he was given a reprieve from his former friend. He counted the hours from the moment he was set out from the infirmary each Monday morning, well fed, patched up and clean, until he could return six days later, hungry, often battered, and filthy. In his mind, Quatre had changed from the friend who turned his back on him, to become his kind benefactor. 

And then, in his most darkest hours, there was Trowa. The former Heavyarms pilot had stood next to him during the whole process of arrest, confinement, trial and sentencing. His parting words, shouted across the expanse of the courtroom that separated them, had been the one thing that pulled him through his most desperate hours. Trowa had extended the hope of freedom and that he wasn't going to be forgotten, at least not by that friend.

His mind shifted again to the following two weeks after his release from the sanctuary the infirmary. That time had provided him with two years worth of nightmares as other inmates tried and often succeeded in showing their strength and his weakness by subduing and abusing him. It was during this time he had lost his cross. He wasn't sure who had taken it, only that he'd awakened alone and in pain in a dark alley to find it was gone.

Fist, too, had come back for more. It was his fourth week there and he was half starved, weak, beaten, bruised, and friendless, and because of it, the hulking man had no problem of hunting and catching him again. The massive sized hand had slapped his face hard, complaining about his smelly body and unkept appearance; but it didn't stop the sadistic bastard from brutally taking him again. As he lay in a heap on the ground, broken and crying silently from the pain, his rapist grabbed him by the braid and severed it close to the nape of his neck with a roughly sharpened kitchen knife stolen from the cafeteria, claiming it for a trophy.

His braid. Its loss had crushed him to the core, even though he had considered its loss a possibility when he arrived at the penal colony. It was the only thing he had left that was his alone. The yard long braid had represented his memories of Solo and the gang, of Sister Helen and Father Maxwell and Heero. The Wing Pilot always displayed a weakness for his long hair. The loss of his cross and then his braid brought to his traumatized mind the fact that he had lost everything that had ever meant anything to him.

He fought to hold back the tears that threatened to spill as his memories continued. It was during that assault that he'd stopped speaking. Fist had nearly strangled him as he was being held down and raped. He had wished many times since then that the vile man had succeeded in killing him. He rocked back and forth on the couch as the memory of pain, humiliation and defeat filled him again. It was his fluctuating vital signs on the guard's monitor that alerted them to the danger he was in. They arrived moments after Fist left, proudly carrying his braid as a trophy in his hand.

The only real kindness he'd known for the two years he'd been there was from the prison guards and the doctors. They protected him as much as they could, and then, sometimes, even more then the system allowed. They cleaned him up, fed and dressed him, and spoke words of sympathy and kindness to him. Several guards even tried to give him advice on how to hide within the system. They tried to persuade him into telling them which inmates had inflicted such pains on him, but he new he couldn't tell. He would not win a reprieve from Section 10 by pointing a finger at his attackers. No, he had been duly warned what would happen if he ratted them out. 

But in the long run, it was Fist's words that gave him the solution to his problem. He clearly remembered the sicko had been repulsed by his untidy state and smell after a week without a shower. There was definitely method to his madness when he was reduced to using whatever smelly and objectionable matter he could produce or find to smear over his entire body in order to repel his attackers. For the most part, it worked. He'd only been caught twice after that for the purpose of sex, and the two unfortunate men had been so repulsed by him that they spread the word. He was mocked, spit on, and occasionally beaten for his filthy state, but never sexually molested again. His fellow inmates believed that the once beautiful boy, who had undoubtedly and mistakenly been put in with them, had lost his mind. From that point on he lived on the fringe and in the shadows of the violent class system that existed in Section Ten of Penal Colony Four.

His whole existence for the remainder of his time, which seemed endless to him, was focused on staying small, unnoticed. In order to survive he had to steal food and necessities when the other prisoners went to work in the prison factories each day. And survive his did, as he managed to somewhat, somehow sustain himself, if just barely, until he was pulled into the infirmary at the end of the week for a brief relief from his miserable existence.

The silent days were long and dark ones for the once vivacious boy who, for a brief time, piloted one of the most feared war machines on Earth and the Colonies. His silent grief was compounded his personal loss and loneliness. He'd lost so much, so many people before the war and he was nearly undone by Heero's defection. Then, surviving that almost unbearable loss, he'd somehow lost the faith and friendship of Quatre and Wufei. Added to that, the loss of his borrowed but treasured good name that was now forever smeared by something he didn't even do. His name, cross and braid were all he had left and they were all taken from him by someone else's hand. At first, his anger had been overridden by fear. But as time went by, the gundam pilot and street kid in him began to come back in brief moments of anger that turned to revenge.

He was Shinigami, he had reminded himself, and no one who hurt him would get away with it. He remembered his mind going over the old adage of "An eye for an eye," something Sister Helen would never have approved of, he carefully planned his revenge. He had a mental image imprinted in his mind of the men who had abused him, and over the course of several months time, he watched them all from a distance and from carefully hidden places. He waited and watched until he found a pattern in each man's daily routine, and discovered a time during the day when each would be found alone and vulnerable. Knowing he couldn't take them down by hand in his weakened physical state, he planed more clever and undetectable ways to get back at them.

He used his skills to steal into the factory and sabotage work stations, causing several of the men to lose fingers or severely burn them selves when something they were working on blew up in their hands. And one by one his form of vengeance and justice were served on all those who had harmed him. But he saved his best and final act of retribution for last, just for Fist.

Timing was everything in the set up. He waited to take his revenge until he had been returned to the section after his weekly visit to the infirmary. With a bit of renewed energy from having eaten well that day, and feeling refreshed with his ragged hair, his skin and his clothing clean, he moved quickly and efficiently to spill the water from bucket he'd stolen from the dumpster outside the cafeteria, creating a nice puddle in the slightly indented floor on the factory workroom's floor. Moving quickly to shimmy up a pole to the metal beams above the industrial work space, he loosened the large electrical outlet from the clamps holding the thick cord onto the ceiling. He tied the heavy, square outlet in place with a piece of cloth he'd scavenged several days before. With that part of the set-up in place, he scrambled back down the pole and taking the bucket with him, he went out the high side window to wait for his target to arrive.

Fist's only good trait was that fact that he was uncommonly punctual when it came to work. His large size and work ethic had won him a promotion at his assigned job. He bullied his co-workers into increased production, bringing kudos and a rise in benefits to the life-time criminal. Fist was always one of the first to show up for the six a.m. shift. Duo counted on that as he waited in the alley to the side of the work building. A window into the building would be his entry, and as the dim lights of the artificial night began to brighten, he readied himself to flee indoors.

Footsteps could be heard nearing the deserted building as the first workers arrived for their shift. Duo picked up the can of vegetables he'd found in someone's locker and readied it. He fervently hoped it wouldn't be too damaged so he could pick it up on his way out and use it for a meal.

Relief and adrenaline filled Duo as he recognized the man he'd seen in many of his nightmares. Without hesitating, he threw the can at the alley entrance where it clattered loudly, bringing the large man to a halt. Fist peered into the alley and a menacing grin grew on his face as his eyes locked on the person he found there and recognized that the boy was in better shape than anyone had seen in a long time.

As soon as their eyes met, Duo clambered through the high-set window into the workroom and quickly scrambled up a vertical pole to one of many pipes situated just feet below the high ceiling. With his arms and legs wrapped around it, he scooted himself on top of the pipe to where he'd left the outlet securely tied. He wasn't disappointed when Fist acted as he'd predicted and opened the door from outside and entered the factory, his eyes searching the entire large room for his soon-to-be victim. It took him several minutes before the man looked upward and, after a brief scan of the piping above the work floor, found him, clinging to the pipe with a practiced and familiar look of worry on the handsome young face.

Duo watched as the man's face bore the look of triumph as he began to walk with a determined purpose in his direction. The lights in the factory were still in night mode, only two lights in corners were on to dimly illuminate the floor during the hours the building was empty. As the man's eyes were focused on him, he didn't see the puddle of water on the floor until he stepped in it. Sensing it, Fist stopped to pause for a moment to determine where the water had come from. Upon hearing a strangled grunt, he looked up in time to see something come swinging down at him from above. The large bully didn't realize until it was too late, the electrical outlet caught in his large hands, that he was a dead man. Duo watched only for a brief moment before he scrambled back and down from the pipes, taking the cloth with him and wiping away any finger prints he might leave behind. That accomplished, he'd jumped out the window to escape through the alley as the man who had brutally beaten and raped him appeared to be in a frozen, horrified trance as he was horribly electrocuted, the smell of burning flesh filling the air of the workroom.

Having had his revenge helped him in some way to get over the horror of his first months treatment in the penal colony. The prison officials had performed a complete investigation regarding Fist's death. It was obvious someone had murdered him. But as the man had made most of the section his enemy at one time or another, the suspects were too numerous for the officials to even consider the boy, who hid fearfully within the shadows of that section, to be the guilty party. 

  
  


But even as he eliminated his enemies, Duo still found himself alone and always on the defensive. He had too much time and no company, allowing him to recall those people and things he'd lost, adding to his grief which, at times, nearly to consumed him in his silent state.

Yet as time passed, his grief diminished somewhat, and his anger at his friends and situation dissipated. He'd gone to sleep most nights comforting himself with Trowa's lingering promise that he would get him out, and many times he prayerfully begged, //Save me Trowa,// and willed his thoughts to bridge the distance between them.

His mind skipped through months and months of struggling to eat and staying out of everyone's way until at last, when he was pulled out of his latest box by Gary, one of the prison guards that had looked after him. At that moment, he couldn't believe his eyes. Trowa appeared to be standing with the familiar guards he'd come to trust. He wondered at the time if he was hallucinating. But no, Trowa spoke to him. He had been true to his word. Seeing his friend, he knew a moment of pure joy that he hadn't felt in two years as hope again swelled in his heart. Trowa had come to free him. He had promised and he was there to deliver. He'd desperately clung to Trowa from that moment on. He had been his one hope of for being saved and he had come through for him. He knew could never repay him for freeing him from the hell he'd been living, but he certainly wouldn't ever forget what he had done for him. 

Even after he'd left the penal colony, he found himself continuing to cling to Trowa, mentally as well as physically, at times not fully believing he was free of the nightmare, sometimes afraid he'd wake up dirty, hungry and all alone in some dark corner of the penal colony to find his new-found freedom nothing but a dream. Then, when the others came one by one into his life, showing in words and actions that they still cared for him, he'd clung desperately to them also, they were all his anchor to the reality that they were real and wouldn't disappear when he woke up.

Now, once again, he found himself in a desperate place, and his silent voice prayed once again, //Find me Trowa. Don't let them take me back there. Please, find me.//

He gasped and flinched when a large hand gently clamped onto his shoulder. "You okay fella?" asked one of the men who'd captured him. But having been in a reflective state, remembering the nightmare of his life on the Penal Colony, Duo couldn't see the concern in the Preventer's eyes. Instead, his mind saw only the large, cruel men who had beaten him and forced themselves on him.

Without a sound, he leapt from his place on the couch to stand in a pathetic, one armed battle stance, his hair in wild disarray and his eyes wide with fright. 

"Easy Kid," Birmingham said in a calming tone. "We're not going to hurt you. I was just concerned because you were shaking." The concerned man then moved towards the panic looking young man, his large hand stretched out. That was all Duo saw, the man's hand reaching for him. With his broken arm pressed tightly against his body, he nervously looked for a way out. Then, just as the Preventer reached him, he ducked from his grasp and ran to the front door of the apartment, quickly unlatching the lock with his right hand. Just as he opened it, he was grabbed from behind. He struggled with a desperateness that surprised his captors.

Ignoring the pain coming from his damaged arm, he fought against the hands that tried to calm his frantic struggling. Then, when one of the men grabbed both of his hands, the pain that ensued caused the room to begin spinning and his vision darkened around the edges as he crumpled down towards the carpeted floor.

"Let him go!" Noin shouted, and he was instantly released to curl up on the floor clutching his throbbing arm. 

Soft feminine hands brushed his hair away from his face. "Calm down, Duo. Shhhh...calm down," Noin said soothingly.

He resumed rocking back and forth on Sally's imported carpet in an effort to comfort himself from the pain. His eyes squeezed tight once again in order to shut out the three men hovering over him along with attempting to banish the memories of his past.

"Damn," Noin swore. "What did they do to him?" she asked out loud to no one in particular. She took hold of his uninjured elbow. "Come on Duo, let's get you back onto the couch."

Too weak and in too much pain to offer any physical protest, Duo merely tensed as hands lifted him and cautiously moved him in the direction of the couch. Once seated, a blanket was put over him and he clutched it with his good hand, pulling it tightly against his body to give himself a more secure feeling. Then slowly, his body gave in to his exhaustion and he fell into a fitful doze.

"Lucretia!" Sally's voice called out in alarm as she was grabbed from behind by agent Harris upon entering her apartment and instantly recognized her friend.

"I'm sorry to get you involved in this Sally," Noin quickly apologized, "but I need your help."

Harris kept a firm clasp on the doctor's arm as he led her to her couch where she saw the top of Duo's head peeking out from under a blanket.

"He's got a broken arm," Noin explained. "I need you to patch him up so we can take him back to the Penal Colony."

"Why? Sally demanded of her friend.

"I have a warrant to serve," Noin snapped back defensively, her blue eyes flashing with resentment that her friend would question her.

Sally thought fast. Noin evidently did not know of her involvement with the former pilots or her knowledge of when and how Duo had been released from the Penal Colony by Trowa. She realized she would have to play dumb for awhile if she had any chance of getting help.

"Why here and not a hospital?" she asked the raven haired woman skeptically while taking in Harris, Birmingham and Schmidt.

"Too many questions and red tape," Noin answered. "I have my orders to return him without delay."

"Then you should have paged me to come to headquarters. I have an X-ray machine there and plaster for a cast. Isn't this against procedures?" she asked her friend with a suspicious eye. "Aren't you supposed to process him through the office?"

"As I said," Noin cooly replied while looking at the three men behind Sally, "I have my reasons."

Sally knelt down by the side of the couch and gently pried the blanket away from Duo's firm clutch on it. The movement caused him to wake up with a startled jerk of his body. His eyes widened in fear as his memory and the situation he found himself in came back to his mind.

"Duo," Sally gasped as she took in the tear in his shirt that revealed his bloody upper arm punctured by the jagged broken bone. "Get me my bag," she ordered without looking away from her patient. A moment later the black bag she'd dropped when she was grabbed just inside the door was placed next to her. She reached in and removed the scissors and quickly cut off the remainder of the sleeve. While busy at work, she chanced a glance up at the pained blue-violet eyes and winked at Duo in an effort to reassure him.

"How did Duo manage to get here from the penal colony?" Sally asked her friend standing right behind her, watching her every move.

"The Warden of P.C. Four said Duo was pardoned by Trowa Barton," Noin answered.

"Then why are you taking him back? "Sally turned to gaze at her friend to judge her facial expression and noted Noin had a look of desperation in her eyes.

"Look, I'm just following orders. There seems to be a question of legality regarding his release and I have to take Duo back until it's resolved."

"Who brought up the allegation?" 

"What?" Noin blinked at the question.

"I mean," Sally looked her in the eye, "Trowa Barton is a Preventer, one of the best. If he paroled Duo, it would have been done within the law. Who accused him of doing it otherwise?"

"I don't know," Noin snapped back testily. "Something was said about coercion. I suppose that would have to come from the Warden as he's the one who decides if someone is to be paroled or not."

"You mean ransomed, don't you?" Sally replied snidely, making no cover for her disapproval of such a practice.

"Look, Sally," the Preventer ran her hand through her short, black hair, "I'm tired and I don't want to argue with you. Just patch him up and I'll carry out my duty."

Sally examined Duo's arm, studying the jagged bone sticking out through the skin ripped from the inside out. "I can't do this here," she announced and moved to cover Duo up again. "He needs anaesthetic and surgery, plus he's in shock. We need to get him to a hospital now."

"I can't do that, Sally," her friend told her with a look that said she was not going to change her mind.

"I can't attempt it here, I don't have the equipment or the necessary tools," the doctor insisted. "And I know the Port Authority won't allow him to be taken into space like this, it's too dangerous to his well being."

"You don't understand, Sally. I don't have a choice here!" Noin yelled in frustration and anger.

"Something isn't right here, Lu," Sally said with deep concern. "What's really going on?" She stepped forward reaching out a hand to her friend.

"No, don't, Sally." Noin's hand came up to stop her advance. "I feel bad enough about this already, don't make it worse by trying to console me."

"What are you going to do?" Sally stopped and frowned .

Lucretia Noin Peacecraft closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath before answering. "I'll wrap his arm up and buy a new shirt, then take him back to the penal colony," she answered as if a deep exhaustion had fallen on her.

"You can't Lu. The trip into space in his condition could kill him," Sally argued softly with her friend.

"As I said," she shook her head sadly. "I have no choice."

Sally was beginning to realize that all to well. "They'll never forgive you, you know?" she told the woman she'd allied herself with during both wars. They had both worked with Duo and the other pilots and it was far beyond her understanding how her close friend could turn on the boys so selfishly. Hadn't they suffered enough?

"Who?" Noin asked with irritation.

"The former pilots," Sally informed her. "They are very united now, and once they find out you're the one who took him back to the place that hurt Duo so badly, they'll seek vengeance. And you know as well as I do how sneaky and underhanded their vengeance can be, not to mention deadly."

The tall, willowy woman visibly shuddered as memories of the five ruthless teens commanding the mightiest weapons in the solar system came back to her mind. "I still have no choice," she replied a bit more uncertain.

"There's always a choice, Lu. A right one and a wrong one." With that said, Sally turned back to her patient with the intention of giving him something for the pain.

****

The sunrise brought not only the golden sun over the eastern mountains, but a determined Quatre Winner to the Palace doors. He demanded he be allowed to see Heero on a matter of great urgency. When questioned further, he told the security man that it involved Relena's security and a possible threat. The man had refused, saying he had his orders that no one was to enter the palace until the morning shift arrived. The well-known billionaire then sat in a hard chair and glared at the man behind the desk until the next guard reported in several minutes before six a.m. Quatre again stated the false emergency and was rewarded when the new guard took him more seriously. He personally led the well-known Winner heir up the marble grand staircase towards the Vice Foreign Minister's private quarters. A brief knock on the white door brought a dressed but sleepy maid to answer it. Quatre startled the poor woman as he brushed past her to enter the room and shut the door behind himself. 

"My name is Quatre Winner," he properly introduced himself to her, though his voice was a bit brusque. "And I'm here to see Heero Yuy.

"I believe he's in the shower, sir," the maid said, obviously flustered with the early morning visitor and his curt attitude. "If you'll take a seat," she motioned to the sitting room to his left. "I'll see if Mrs. Yuy will receive you." 

"Receive me?" Quatre asked in a disdainful tone. "I think it's a little too early for receiving a social call. I'm here to see Heero, knowing he's an early riser, on a personal matter and I insist you not disturb Relena from her much needed sleep. She is a very busy woman after all."

"Yes, sir," the middle aged woman replied. "I'll inform him you're here." She turned and moved to leave the room.

Hesitating for only a moment, the former Sandrock pilot silently followed her through the living and dining rooms to a hallway that he guessed led to the suite's bedrooms. He stopped as she stood, unaware of his presence behind her, and knocked on a closed door. 

"Mr. Yuy? Sir, you have a visitor," she called through the closed door. There was a pause before a deep mumbled sound came from the other side of the door.

"A Mr. Quatre Winner," she said in reply to the unintelligible voice.

The door opened in a flash and Heero stepped into the hallway wearing only a dark blue towel around his waist, his well developed chest glistened with moisture from his very recent shower.

"Heero." Quatre stepped closer and called out his friend's name at the same time Heero noticed him.

"What's the matter?" the Japanese man asked in a low but urgent voice.

The blond Arabian reached towards him, took his arm, and propelled Heero back into his bedroom, closing the door on the shocked looking maid.

Without hesitating, Quatre began his explanation. "She's found him." He quickly informed Heero. "Noin came to the house just after you left with an arrest warrant for Duo. Wufei was taken down by a tranquilizer dart, and Duo ran,"he told him with a worried look. "We think she has him because he didn't return.

Heero visibly paled and looked like he was about to dissolve.

Quatre continued. "We contacted Une and she has gotten a stay on the suspicious warrant. She's also contacted all space shuttle Port Authorities stating that Duo is to be kept Earthside and held until Trowa or Wufei can arrive to collect him."

Heero slowly made his way to the unmade bed and looked stunned as he sat on the edge. With eyes that had the look of a lost soul, he slowly looked up at the blond. "What can we do Quatre? How can we protect him from her?"

Quatre could see his friend needed someone to guide him at the moment. "Take heart, Heero," he replied softly and gripped his friend's damp shoulder. "Neither Trowa, Wufei, myself nor Duo have broken any rules or laws. If Relena did indeed obtain the arrest warrant, she did so by illegal means. Her network is unraveling as she exposes her lackeys. We now know who her Preventer moles are, Noin, Birmingham and Harris. I don't know how she got them to do her dirty work for her, nor a judge or penal colony warden for that matter, but we will find out and when we do, we'll pull her power base out from under her. Then you'll be free or her, as will Duo." 

"I promised Duo no one would ever harm him again." Heero said in anguish and bowed his head.

Quatre stepped forward and put both hands on the other's shoulder. "We all made that promise to him Heero, and we have always been good at keeping our promises, haven't we?"

The head with the dark brown hair nodded as Heero clenched and unclenched his fists as he fought to control his rising anger. "I hate her Quatre," he said in a deadly tone. "Hate her with a great passion for what she's forced me into and for hurting Duo."

"I think you should tell her exactly how you feel," Quatre told him, his own face a stony reflection of the ill feelings he shared with Heero for Relena. He wasn't a person who generally felt hatred for anyone or anything, saving that emotion for things like poverty, prejudice, injustice, and cruelty. But at this moment he felt the unfamiliar feeling of hatred flow through him for the blonde young woman who had manipulated their lives, much to their detriment, and obviously felt no remorse for the sorrow she'd caused.

"Now?" Heero asked, surprised and wary at the suggestion coming from the Arabian.

"I think you should get dressed first," the blond advised with a very slight, crooked smile.

"It won't endanger Duo, or tip our hand?" Worry was lined on Heero's face as he asked the question.

"No," Quatre replied. "She has obviously been following you, so she knows you've seen Duo already."

Without any further need for hesitation, Heero stood and moved quickly to his closet. Opening the doors, he pulled out a pair of blue jeans and a black t-shirt and tossed them over to the bed while he sorted through the chest of drawers within the closed for his boxers and socks.

"I'd also pack a few of your things," Quatre told him. "You won't be coming back here, not for any reason."

The Japanese young man looked up, his eyes welling with gratitude for the other's support. "Thank you Quatre, for not hating me."

He then returned to his task of getting dressed as quickly as possible and Quatre now took the time to let his eyes survey the room. 

"I did for a while, you know," the blond business man replied casually as he moved towards the closet and pulled out a suitcase. "Hate you, I mean," he added. "When Trowa and I found Duo had overdosed on sleeping pills and alcohol, I wanted to track you down and have you drawn and quartered," he said in all seriousness and paused to look into the shaken blue eyes in front of him. "But it's against my nature to hold onto such a negative emotion for long," he explained. "I guess I really didn't hate you, but I couldn't trust you either."

"I understand," Heero replied as he zipped up his jeans and snagged his t-shirt from off the bed. "I need to earn yours, Duo's ....and everyone's trust back." He then stopped and looked at the blond. "You do believe me, don't you? That I only did what I did to protect him?"

"Yes Heero." The other nodded sympathetically. "I believe you, but if you ever hurt Duo again, you'll never get another chance to get near him." The richest man in the solar system told him in a tone that bespoke his seriousness. "I've got the resources to protect him, now that I understand the threat," he continued. "I just wish you'd come to us at the start of Relena's demands. So much hurt could have been avoided. "

Heero raked his hand through his still damp hair. "I know," he answered in all honesty and no small feeling of misery. "But if I came to you telling of her demands and the danger she posed, would you have believed me? Frankly, I never would have believed the young school girl who fought for peace capable of being so conniving and cruel."

Placing the suitcase on the bed, Quatre unzipped it and he continued the conversation. "I don't know if I would have believed you or not," he replied to Heero's question. "I'm still having to come to terms that she's manipulated not only you and Duo, but me, a penal colony warden, a judge, one or more of my family members, Noin and other Preventers." He looked up at his dark haired friend. "And she did it all just to keep you by her side, regardless that you could never love her."

"It's about control and power." Heero surmised as he grabbed a handful of socks and underwear from a drawer in the large closet. "She obviously gets some perverse pleasure from manipulating people to meet her own ends. I just happen to be what she wanted with a very visible weak spot."

"Duo," Quatre replied knowingly while handing Heero several pairs of jeans to pack.

"Yes," he replied. "She evidently had us followed and taped so she knew the extent of our relationship." He paused, regretting the past two years once again. "She realized I'd do anything to keep him from harm, and she used it against me, then hurt him to keep me in my place. How weak can a person get?" he said in a self-castigating tone.

He looked up into sympathetic blue eyes when he felt a hand rest on his shoulder. "Love makes us all susceptible, Heero. But it also makes us stronger. Duo will need your strength to help him heal from his ordeal. We'll all be there to help, but really only you can help him heal. You are the other half of his soul."

The dark head nodded. "As he is mine. That's why I couldn't let her destroy him. I thought if I could spare him, keep her away from him, at least he would still be alive when I managed to break free of her. I never dreamed..." his words trailed off as a look of misery washed across his face. He turned abruptly and removed several shirts from the closet, dress pants, then shoes, shoving them all in and then zipping up the large suitcase.

"Ready?" Quatre asked as Heero straightened.

"For the last two and a half years I've been more than ready to leave this place behind." He replied solemnly. 

"Then lets take our leave of Relena properly and get out of here." Quatre managed a small smile of encouragement and the two of them moved to leave the bedroom that had been Heero's prison for far too long.

TBC


	14. Web 14

Web of Betrayal

By Dyna Dee

Warnings: yaoi, not kind to Relena.

Part 14 The Ultimate Betrayer

The Vice Foreign Minister's pleasant dream was disturbed by the slamming of her bedroom door against the inside wall of her room. She awoke with a start, and her sleep-filled eyes recognized Heero as he stalked towards her bed. The glint in his eye and his pursed lips alerted her to the fact that she was in danger. "What are you doing in here Heero?" she challenged him, now completely awake.

Instead of a verbal answer, her legally bound husband reached out and grabbed her by her upper arm, and unceremoniously hauled her out of warm Queen-sized bed.

"How dare you!" she shouted indignantly. Her voice squeaked as his other hand came up to wrap around her neck . With his fingers applying pressure around her long, slim neck, he began to push her back from her position next to her bed. Relena's bare feet scrambled quickly beneath her to keep from falling or being choked if she failed to move as Heero's hold directed. Her smaller hands instinctively came up to grab his unyielding hold on her throat. In vain she struggled, almost panicked to pull the bone-crushing grasp from off the front of her neck. "Stop this Heero!" she rasped at him in anger and rising panic. She hit the wall forcefully, not enough to hurt her, but enough to cause her to gasp as air was knocked out of her lungs.

"Where is he Relena?" Heero growled out through his gritted teeth, his face mere inches away from hers looking stern and forbidding.

Ah, she finally realized what this was all about, and her lips turned upward in a malevolent grin. "On his way back to Penal Colony Four," she answered smugly, then added. "Where he belongs."

"I hate you, do you know that?" he told her, his deep blue eyes blazing and his hand not letting go of her throat, but firmly keeping her pinned to the wall.

"Too bad," she answered in a smooth and cool tone of voice, despite the lack of air and fear she felt. The sneering smile that grew on her face and her eyes sparkling with a challenge spoke of her obvious enjoyment in the contest of wills they were engaged in. "You're mine, Heero. The bravest man in the solar system brought to his knees by a mere woman, me." A spark of triumph flashed in her eyes.

"With one flick of my hand I can break your neck," he threatened, then tightened his grip slightly until he saw a hint of fear in her eyes, feeling satisfaction that Relena was finally realizing just how precarious her life was at the moment.

"But then you would end up in prison for the rest of your life, separated from your precious Duo forever." Her voice was raspy as she struggled for breath, but still there was a look of triumph on her face that overshadowed any fear she might have felt.

"Shut up," he snarled in warning. "You have hurt him and myself for the last time."

Her blue eyes narrowed even as she gasped to take in air. "You can't stop me Heero. I have powerful people behind me, willing to do whatever I ask. I can manipulate the system to keep Duo locked up for the rest of his life."

Heero's body began to shake from the suppressed rage he felt welling inside him. It was tempting, so tempting to just kill her, to end their misery. Just a twist of his wrist would do it, a squeeze of his fingers. But no, his hand stilled. Duo needed him, and he desperately needed Duo. He had promised him he'd never be alone again, that he would be by his side for the rest of their lives. That wouldn't happen if he gave into the primal urge to kill his enemy. For Duo's sake he would resist the temptation....this time.

Abruptly removing his hand, he gave the corrupt woman a threatening glare. "You've tripped up this time, Relena. We know who your moles are and we have the Warden's file. Your signature attached to an illegally acquired Preventer's record detailing Duo's past will ruin you politically."

The young, blonde woman gently massaged her throat with a well-manicured hand and looked smugly at the scowling man in front of her. "Your signature is also attached, Heero. You'll go down with me."

"I don't have a political job to lose," he retorted. "Plus the fact that my signature's forged."

Her eyes narrowed again, not liking to be threatened or pushed into a corner. "I've got all of the pilots' files, Heero. I'll make them all public if you move against me. Trowa's past alone was somewhat colorful reading, being a mercenary and abused by the men who raised him to be a soldier; the tabloids will jump on that in a flash, no questions asked as to where it came from." She gave him a insolent smile. "But it will undoubtedly ruin any chance he has of making a life with Quatre. Would you do that to your friends?"

A slight gasp behind Heero brought to her attention that they were not alone, as she had presumed. An error on her part, she realized. She looked around the broad shoulders of her husband to see Quatre Winner, suitcase in hand and looking furious.

"Quatre?" she said in a startled voice. "How did you get in here?" she asked, not knowing how long he'd been there or how much he'd heard. She thought it best to play the innocent until she figured that out, and mentally chastised herself for being so careless.

"The maid let me in so I could help Heero pack," he replied in barely concealed anger. Then, in a tone of firm confidence he added, "He's leaving with me."

"No, he's not!" Relena replied equally as determine as the blond businessman.

"Listen Relena," Quatre stepped forward and handed Heero his suitcase, "you have manipulated and hurt two of my friends beyond imagining. I will not tolerate your interference in their lives any longer, nor in mine or any of the other pilots' lives."

"You won't, will you?" she asked with a knowing smirk that made the Winner heir wary. "Seems to me a couple of your sisters filed a false police report, putting an innocent man in prison. Plus there are rumors alluding to some shady dealings by the Winner Corporation that could land a few of your family members, and possibly even yourself in trouble with the law." The smugly confident young woman looked like the proverbial cat that swallowed the canary.

Quatre's eyes widened. "Is that how you got to them?" he demanded. "Did you blackmail them into framing Duo because of a business deal? And are you now threatening me?" he asked in and incredulous tone.

"Me? Threaten?" Relena laughed in her practiced, polite manner and batted her eyes in an act of mock innocence. "I'm a diplomat," she told him with an indulgent smile that both young men wanted to wipe off her face. "I negotiate with the facts. True, I have from time to time acquired those facts under questionable means, listening devices planted at parties, in the rest room and back rooms. You'd be surprised at the many underhanded and deceitful things respectable people do and then later, when they've sobered up or have been confronted with their embarrassments, try to hide what they've done. I just take the information I stumble upon and use it towards meeting my own ends. But that's just all a part of my job, isn't it? Using the system to benefit the cause of Peace."

"Hurting innocent people isn't a part of your job, nor something a moral person would do," Quatre replied hotly. "You have proven yourself unworthy of your office by such underhanded, unethical tactics, not to mention how you've harmed those who fought for our precious peace. You will not blackmail me, my family, or Trowa. If you have evidence of wrong doings by any employee of my company, make it public, let the guilty face justice. But I warn you," he glared at the girl in his most menacing manner while pointing his finger at her. "If you leak out any information on Trowa's past to the press or even privately amongst your friends or government officials, I will know who did it. And if you'll remember from during the war, my anger was very destructive. I will see you ruined and in prison if you persist in your schemes." 

Relena seemed not to take his threat seriously as she gave another light laugh. "Ah Quatre, you naive boy, I think you've forgotten something very important." Relena smiled knowingly at him. "It's not only the guilty who go to jail."

Seeing that this tit-for-tat conversation was going nowhere, the Arabian waved off her comment and decided to end the conversation. "I'm warning you Relena, stay out of our lives." He turned on his heel, not waiting for whatever reply she had on the tip of her tongue. "Let's go Heero. We've said our goodbyes," He spoke loud enough for Relena to hear as he took hold of the Japanese man's arm and propelled him from the room.

"Don't you dare leave this suite Heero!" she yelled angrily after them.

"Do us all a favor Relena," Heero called over his shoulder in parting. "Die."

Both men ducked at the sound of a vase hitting the door frame, but continued on.

Outside the bedroom door stood the shell-shocked maid. "Goodbye Nadia. Thank you for your kindness." Heero softened his manner as he spoke to her.

"Goodbye Mr. Yuy." she said in a strangled voice and watched as the two young men left the Princess of Sanq's suite of rooms.

With his suitcase in hand, Heero followed Quatre to a taxi that was waiting for them outside the palace doors. Quatre quickly gave the driver the direction to the Preventer Building, wanting to be as far away from Relena and her influence as soon as possible. 

The two former gundam pilots were soon walking through the hallways of the building that housed the peacekeeping force known as The Preventers. With the filled suitcase being wheeled behind Heero, they made their way to the elevator on the main floor. Once it began it ascend, Heero turned with a relieved look on his face to his blond friend. "You have no idea how good it feels right now to be free of her," he told him.

Quatre slung his arm around the other's shoulder. "I'll never let her hurt you or Duo ever again, Heero. Even if I have to hide you away on one of my estates for the rest of your lives."

"It won't come to that Quatre," Heero replied. "But thank you," he said sincerely. "Relena's false facade and house of cards are beginning to crumble," he continued in a more seriously manner. "Now that we've seen how she operates to get other people to bend to her will, just as she did with me by extortion and blackmail, we have only to find and convince one or two of her victims to be bold enough to step forward and bring charges against her."

Quatre nodded as they stepped off the elevator and approached the security desk. Within five minutes they were in a conference room with Une and Wufei. The head of the Preventers looked excited.

"We've got a tracer on the GPL and have narrowed it down to two city blocks. They're mostly residential and apartments, so a search will have to commence between seven a.m. and noon. We don't want to alarm hundreds of families in their sleep by a loud knock on their door."

Heero looked confused. Trowa seeing it, turned to fill him in. "Duo was in the process of fixing Wufei's cell phone and took the GPL chip with him. Hopefully, he didn't just drop it. But we've located it on the other side of town from my place and I believe he's there."

Heero inwardly smiled at his lover's cleverness. "Then lets go and get him," he said with an intense look on his face the three hadn't seen since the war. "We can't take the chance of Relena hurting him because of this morning," he added.

"What happened this morning?" Une asked with a frown of concern.

"I left her...after a rather nasty confrontation," he informed them, completely unapologetic.

Quatre nodded his confirmation of Heero's statement. "She threatened not only Heero and Duo, but Trowa, my sisters, and Wufei as well."

"Me?" Wufei asked with a contemptuous snort. "I have nothing to hide."

Quatre's eyes softened as he answered the Chinese Preventer. "You don't need to have any skeletons in your closet for Relena to pull you into her web of betrayal Wufei. She used Heero's love for Duo against him to get what she wanted. She had someone in my family set Duo up and even though he was innocent, he went to prison. She could use your honor and pride in your name against you by fabricating a lie and threatening to drag your name and clan's honor through the mud. I would dare to say that would have some affect on you."

Wufei's eyes widened slightly at the implications Quatre raised, then slowly shook his head in disgust. "I understand," he replied simply.

"Where is the signal transmitting from?" Heero asked, bringing them back to the matter at hand of finding Duo.

Wufei moved to a black laptop sitting on the conference room table. A Preventer who was unknown to Heero stood and vacated his seat in front of the computer, then moved off to the side so the other men could view the screen. Wufei bent over the empty chair and moved the mouse, the screen flicked back to life and a map appeared on the screen. A blinking icon flashed in the center of the map. All five in the room huddled together to look at it. Then simultaneously, Une and Wufei looked up and then at each other with an expression of surprise on both of their faces. The head of the Preventers then quickly moved to the intercom and depressed a button on the panel.

"Davis here." A female voice sounded over the speaker.

"Jody, could you please check the roster and see if Captain Noin, Lieutenants Harris and Birmingham, and Dr. Poe have check in this morning for their shifts."

"Just a moment," the voice answered and the tapping sound of a computer keyboard being put to use could be heard. "Captain Noin and Lieutenant Birmingham took a personal day while Harris and Dr. Poe have yet to clock in."

"What's going on?" Trowa asked Wufei.

Pointing to the map, he answered in a grave tone. "That's the vicinity of Sally's apartment. "

"I'm sure she had nothing to do with this." Quatre was quick to reassure him, sensing his Chinese friend had some strong emotions for the doctor, though he'd kept them to himself.

"I know that!" Wufei snapped. "But now they may have more than just Duo, they might have Sally as hostage also."

"Then lets go and get them back," Heero said with determination. It was clear to those present in the room that he was slipping into what they had formerly referred to as soldier mode.

"Wait!" Une said quickly. "This is a residential area. We can't go in slinging guns and bullets and chance any civilians getting hurt."

"We can't wait for Relena to lash out at Duo in retaliation for Heero's leaving this morning," Trowa said, feeling exasperated by their inability to act immediately.

"Let's handle this logically and with cool heads," Une told them, her voice calming the former pilots to reason. "If Sally didn't show up for work or call in, I would naturally call her to see what the problem was." She strode with purpose to a phone sitting on top of a small desk in the corner of the room and dialed. "I'll try her home phone first, then her cell." She explained her actions to the anxious four.

The phone rang six times before the answering machine picked up. Une listened patiently through the short message and waited for the sound of the beep. "Sally, it's me, Une," she began her message. "You're late for work and you have some nervous employees wondering if you're alright. I'll check your cell phone to see if you're on your way."

She quickly depressed the button on the phone and quickly dialed another number. After three rings, there was a click and Sally's voice came on. "Hello?" a faint voice answered sounding a bit timid for the good doctor.

"Where are you Sally?" the head of the Preventers asked in a softly chiding voice. "It's not like you to be late."

"Had a late night," Sally's explained.

"Everything alright?" she asked.

"Could be better."

"Did you ever find that missing package?" Une asked, hoping her friend would understand she was fishing for information.

There was a pause on the other end of the line, then Sally answered in a slightly tentative voice. "Yeah, I stumbled across it unexpectedly."

"Was it intact? You know how rough the delivery system can be."

"It's not entirely intact." Sally replied, sounding more confident now she understood Une was asking about Duo and that help was just on the other end of the phone. "I'm going to have to have it repaired."

"Do you have the name of the delivery service for filing a claim?"

"Yes, it took four phone calls, but I got it covered."

"Good." The head of the Preventer's replied. "Are you coming in today?"

"I think I'll take a personal day to rest."

"Alright," Une agreed to the false request. "But your assistant said she had some papers you need to sign. I'll have her send a messenger over with them this morning. So don't get too deep into sleep that you don't hear the doorbell." She knew her statement would alert Sally that they would be arriving soon.

"It that necessary?" Sally asked with a slight tone of worry.

"Yes, expect him early this morning," Une replied. "And rest easy."

"I will, Thanks," Sally replied in closing and the connection was severed.

Lady Une hung up the phone and turned to the four standing behind her. "He's there in Sally's apartment with four people guarding them, probably the three we know about, plus one other." She studied each of the four intense-looking faces as she broke the next piece of news. "Duo's been injured."

At that news, Heero turned on his heel to leave and would have if Wufei's reflexes weren't so sharp. Heero looked down in anger at the hand firmly gripping his arm, preventing him from leaving the room. "Let go Wufei. I'm going to him."

"We all are Heero," the Chinese Preventer replied. "But we need to do this right so Duo and Sally are safe as well as Sally's neighbors."

"Then you've got exactly five minutes to come up with a plan." Heero glared at him. "Because that's when I'm leaving."

  
  


Lucretia Noin took Sally's cell phone from out of her hand and put it in her own pocket. "That was a rather cryptic conversation," she said with a grim look on her face. 

"You think so?" Sally asked with a questioning raise of her eyebrow. "Une always calls me when I'm late for work." 

"They're onto us, aren't they?" The dark haired woman asked with sorrowful eyes alluding to the fact that she already knew the answer.

Sally merely looked her friend in the eye but refused to answer. Noin turned her head towards the living room. "Harris, wake the prisoner up. We're leaving."

"You shouldn't move him," the doctor warned anxiously. "He's suffering from shock and needs surgery."

"It can't be helped," Noin answered curtly. "You shouldn't have leaked the fact that we were here, though I have no idea as to how they guessed our location."

"Please Lu," Sally put her hand on her friend's arm. "Don't do this. Duo has suffered enough at Relena's hand. Don't hurt him any more."

The deep blue eyes narrowed in suspicion. "How do you know anything about Duo?" she asked.

Sally knew she was showing her hand, but she needed to reach her friend's conscience before Duo was hurt any more. "I saw the papers that Relena sent to the judge and warden of the penal colony. She went out of her way to see he was put in a maximum security area where he was brutalized. Une has the papers in her custody and an investigation will bring out Relena's part in Duo's harsh treatment in prison."

"What papers?" Noin asked looking honestly perplexed, and surprised Sally by her apparent lack of knowledge on the subject, suspecting she had been the one to supply Relena with the sealed files.

"Duo's sealed records of his life before and during the wars. Didn't you give them to her?"

"I know nothing about sealed records," Noin told her. Then unexpectedly, she laughed bitterly. "And you can forget Une and your precious investigation."

It was now Sally's turn to be confused. "Why's that?"

Noin shook her head in a weary manner. "Because she's also under Relena's thumb," was her depressed reply.

Sally's eyes widened in shock and horror. Une had knowledge of every fact regarding Duo. "When will this end, Lu?" she asked in all seriousness. "Relena has to be stopped."

Noin shook her head with a look of pain in her eyes. "She'll destroy anyone or anything to get what she wants, even her family," she said, swallowing back the tears and the feeling of helplessness she felt threatening to over take her completely.

Birmingham approached them. "We can't wake him up," he reported, indicating Duo's condition. "He's out cold." His eyes turned with Noin's to look at the doctor in an accusing manner.

"I gave him something for the pain and it had a sleep inducer in it." She shrugged, unrepentant at the action taken. "I needed something strong to keep him calm."

"We'll just have to carry him to the van then," Noin told the other Preventer.

Just then, her cell phone rang. Noin pulled it off her belt and looked at the displayed number and frowned. Clicking the ringing phone on, she put it to her ear. "Noin," she said into the receiver, then a look of apprehension crossed her features. "No, he's injured."

Sally realized Relena was on the other end questioning their movements.

"Sally has looked at him and says he needs surgery." A long pause followed.

"I'm sorry, but I improvised." It was clear the tall, black haired woman was holding her emotions in check as she spoke to her blackmailer.

A longer pause this time, then the dark blue eyes widened in something that looked to Sally like alarm or shock. "No, I won't do that," Noin said adamantly.

Pause.

"Please, Relena. You're being unreasonable. Think about the ramifications of what you're asking."

Suddenly, the look of trepidation flared on the Preventer's face to display an expression of pure anger. "Don't push me into a corner, Relena. I warn you, you won't like what you see."

Pause.

"I said I won't!" There was a tone of finality in Noin's voice. With a final look of disgust she abruptly terminated the phone call.

"God forgive me," she whispered as she looked down at the cell phone. Then slowly, her eyes traveled up to look into Sally's concerned face. "But I hate Relena with every fiber of my being."

"What did she say?" Sally asked, not really expecting an answer, but hoping for one.

The raven haired woman's eyes glazed over as she replied. "She told me to kill Duo." A look of revulsion crossed her face as she spoke the words.

"Lu, no!" Sally replied earnestly with a hand stretched out touch her friend.

Their eyes locked again. "I've stooped as low as I can go, Sally," Noin said sadly. "I won't kill for her, not even to save my marriage."

Relief flooded the doctor. "Then you better do something quickly before she has a chance to call someone else in her little black book to do the job for you," she advised. "Someone who hasn't the conscience you do."

Lucretia Noin smiled crookedly and held up the cell phone. "I'm the only one privileged enough to carry her cell phone on this job."

"But there might be others you're not aware of Lu. She could call someone else and intercept you," Sally suggested, hoping to urge her friend into acting quickly.

Noin shook her head and blew out a long puff of air. "I'm not sure how to extricate myself out of this one," she admitted to her long-time friend.

"Go!" Sally told her. "Go turn yourself in and leave Duo with me. I'll see he gets to the hospital."

Lucretia Noin's eyes watered suddenly. "I was a fool to let her manipulate me like she has." She shook her head in sadness. "I'll lose Zechs." Her voice hitched with emotions she could barely contain. 

Wanting to comfort her friend, Sally reached forward and embraced her tightly. "He loves you, Lu," she told her.

"I can't lose him Sally. There would be nothing left for me if he leaves me."

"Then we'll see that he doesn't. I think the best course of action is to tell Milliardo before Relena gets to him," the doctor said firmly with a last squeeze of reassurance before she stepped back to give her friend a small smile of confidence. 

"Your right," Noin replied with a shaky smile in return, then turned her head towards the livingroom. "Harris," she called out. "Pick up Duo, we're leaving."

Sally's eyes widened in alarm. "But.." she began, yet stopped when the other woman interrupted her.

"I'll take him to the hospital, to the emergency room. You can tell your surprise guests he's there, and that will buy me some time."

"Time? What for?" Sally asked concerned.

"To tie up some loose ends," she replied with a bit more confidence.

The injured and drugged young man remained in a state of deep sleep as he was carefully lifted from the couch and carried out to the readied vehicle.

Sally quickly scribbled a note and left it sticking out of the door as she raced to catch up with the others.

A half hour later, the apartment building was surrounded by a large number of Preventers as four young men, their eyes bright with determination, approached the doctor's door, guns in hand.

"Stick with the plan," Quatre warned in a voice just loud enough for the other three to hear. He could feel their emotions roll across the short distance separating them and it could only lead to trouble if they weren't properly held in check.

The three silently followed Wufei as point man in approaching the door. He stopped and cautiously removed a white piece of paper that was stuck in the crack between the door and doorframe. The Chinese Preventer quickly unfolded the floral note paper and read it. A look of relief washed over his face as he turned to face his friends. "They've taken Duo to the hospital," he told them. "We can find them waiting there for us."

Further down the hallway and around the corner where the others couldn't see, Lady Une collapsed against the wall of the hallway in relief. Her finger eased off the trigger of her gun.

Ten minutes later, the four plus Lady Une burst into the emergency room waiting area. Harris, Birmingham and the mystery person, Lieutenant Schmidt, were sitting amongst the ill and hurt people waiting to be seen. Slowly holding their arms out in an effort to show they were giving up, they were quickly taken into custody and out of the building by the back-up team. Une strolled calmly to the reception desk and stated her business. The door to the emergency area buzzed open and the tall head of the Preventers motioned the anxious four young men to join her. 

They were quickly led down the hospital corridors to an open doorway. Upon entering, they saw Sally standing next to an unconscious Duo, laying pale and very still on the bed, clad only in a hospital gown with a blanket drawn up to his chest. Instantly, the four surrounded him, each reaching out to touch an arm or leg to reassure themselves he was truly found and saw the loose, bloody bandage over his left upper arm.

"I gave him a pain pill with a sedative as he has a compound fracture that cut through the skin," she explained. "Plus he seemed highly agitated and in shock when I found him. I needed to calm him down until I could get some help."

Heero's face darkened with an inner rage.

"It broke by accident, Heero." Sally saw the look and knew she needed to quell it. "They didn't harm him intentionally and he was not mistreated. In fact, I saw them showing quite a bit of gentleness on Duo's behalf. The weakness in his arm caused by the multiple fractures he received in prison, didn't need much pressure to break the bone again. He's going to be fine," she assured them all.

"Are you alright?" Wufei asked her, his eyes taking in the dark circles under her eyes and a look of weariness evident in her face and posture.

"I'm fine. Just need some sleep," she replied with a soft smile at his obvious concern for her welfare.

"Where's Noin?" Trowa asked. "I didn't see her out there with the other three."

"She said she had some loose ends to tie up," Sally replied. "I think she went to call her husband. She probably wanted to talk to him before Relena could." She looked up into the faces of the other former pilots. "I think it's the hardest thing she's ever had to do," she said sadly.

On the other side of the bed, not caring that anyone was watching, Heero bent his head down and placed his cheek alongside Duo's . His hand came up and rested tenderly against the other side of his face. "Never again," he whispered softly. "I promise, she'll never hurt us ever again."

With that said, he turned his lips towards the only person he'd ever loved and kissed his cheek, allowing his lips to linger there for several moments, breathing in the scent of his lover and tasting the saltiness of his skin. He reluctantly straightened, and with a longing sigh, brushed some of the loose hair away from the placid looking face, so beautiful in its sleeping repose. He then looked up, aiming his determined gaze at Trowa. "Take care of him," he requested in a quiet voice, trusting and knowing Trowa would. "I'll be back." He then turned to walk briskly out of the room.

"Heero! Where are you going?" Quatre chased after him looking a bit panicked.

"To tell Relena it's over," he called back over his shoulder, not breaking his determined stride.

  
  


Even with Une and the Preventer's presence, Duo did not go to the operating room for another hour. Sally informed them the Orthopedic Surgeon had consulted with her and he would be repairing Duo's arm during the surgery, and that it would take some time. 

The three former pilots took turns pacing the length of the waiting room just outside the surgical unit, and leafing through magazines left on the coffee table. The room quickly became too small and stuffy at they waited impatiently for news. They all felt too agitated to do more than one thing for longer than a few minutes, and repeatedly exchanged worried glances about the surgery and at Heero's continued absence.

The television had been turned off and on and the channels repeatedly changed as the three took turns on the couch, with the remote exchanging hands frequently as they continued to wait. 

Wufei was sitting in a reclining position on the couch, his feet up on the coffee table and the remote secured in his hands when suddenly, he bolted into a sitting position. The movement instantly alerted the other two and they turned their heads in the direction of the television screen.

"Turn it up," Quatre said anxiously.

The scene was outside a well-known hotel in downtown Brussels, The Remington. They could see on the t.v. screen that a flurry of activity was happening outside the hotel's doors. Police, Preventers, as well as citizens and reporters were everywhere and looking upset. The voice of a female reporter could be heard as the cameras scanned the chaotic scene.

"Reports from witnesses state that at approximately ten forty-five a.m. this morning, at a breakfast meeting of the Earth and colony ministers, that Earth's Vice Foreign Minister, Relena Peacecraft Yuy was addressing the full room when the sound of a single gunshot rang out. It appeared to the frightened group of officials that Mrs. Peacecraft-Yuy was hit by the bullet of that gun and fell to the floor. The room apparently erupted into pandemonium while the Vice Foreign Minister's aids went immediately to her side and the other guests scrambled for safety and out the exit doors. No word has been issued from the authorities, but an ambulance was seen leaving the lower parking garage of the hotel moments ago. It's is assumed that the Foreign Vice Minister is being transported to St. Mercy's Hospital, only blocks from the hotel."

Wufei frowned while Quatre and Trowa exchanged looks of worry.

"Where's Heero?" Quatre asked, his voice betraying his fear for their friend's innocence in regards to this assassination attempt on Relena.

The reporter's voice could be heard at the live broadcast continued on the television. "It's not known at this time where the Vice Foreign Minister's famous husband/bodyguard was this morning. It was reported by those present in the dining room that he wasn't present at the conference this morning, yet several witnesses have reported seeing him in the building."

"By Allah." Quatre sank down into the nearest chair. "Please don't let it be him," he prayed.

"I don't think he'd do that to Duo," Trowa reasoned aloud, though his eyes, never leaving the television screen, were pinched together with worry.

"He would do anything to protect Duo," Wufei said softly, but the truth of his words cut into their thoughts. "Even give his life."

They looked away from the television as the surgeon they'd met just before Duo was taken to surgery came into the room just then and announced the operation had been a success and the patient was coming out of the anesthetic well. The doctor expressed a need to keep his patient in the hospital overnight for observation. 

"No," Trowa replied calmly. "As soon as he's able, I'm taking him home." They all observed the doctor's reaction, and could see the man's answering frown of disapproval. Trowa continued. "Dr. Sally Poe is a friend of ours and I'll ask her to spend the night in case any complications should arise."

The doctor still frowned. "We're more equipped to handle emergencies here at the hospital," he said, hoping to sway the young man from his decision.

"We have complete faith in Dr. Poe's abilities," Wufei added, the three ex-pilots seemed to be in mutual agreement of Trowa's suggestion. Even Mrs. L.'s home was more secure to guard Duo's recovery than an open hospital in the heart of the city.

"Listen!" Quatre called out and raised the volume of the television set once again.

"Eye witnesses now report that Mrs. Peacecraft-Yuy was in a rather heated argument with her husband moments before the morning session began. He evidently left the room in an apparent state of anger. The Vice Foreign Minister followed moments later to enter the dining room, seeming flushed but composed. An APB has been issued for Mr. Yuy for questioning."

"Does Duo have a television in his recovery room?" Quatre asked in alarm, his face ashen.

"All rooms have access to a television," the doctor answered looking confused at the question.

"Take us to him now," Wufei demanded firmly. 

The doctor looked unsure, but who was he to argue with two Preventers in uniform and the richest man in the Colonies and maybe even Earth. "This way." He directed them to follow him.

They entered the private room to find Duo still in the process of waking. He was groggy and slow as he turned his head at their entrance. The others noted with relief that the television in the room was turned off.

The three stood by his bedside and spoke to Duo in reassuring tones and words that he was safe and they would be home soon.

Ten minutes later, Heero burst into the room looking ruffled and a bit unhinged as he went straight to Duo's side. Still dazed with the drugs in his system, Duo looked up at Heero with unspoken questions and worry in his large, unfocused eyes.

"Are you okay?" Heero asked, almost breathless and the others observed as a trickle of sweat moved slowly down from his right temple and down his cheek, showing them that he'd probably run all the way from the downtown hotel to the hospital, six miles away. But Heero seemed ignorant of his unkept state. His eyes and thoughts were solely on the dazed young man in the bed as his eyes raked over the bandaged arm, now set in a brace, before they returned to study Duo's face.

Duo's nod was hesitant, his eyes struggling to focus as he took in Heero's appearance.

"I...I... " Heero stammered as if he struggled for words. "Something's happened," he told his lover as he took hold of the hand of his uninjured arm into both his very warm hands. "It's going to look bad, but I want you to know that I didn't do it. As much as I wanted to, someone else wanted to more."

Duo was the only one in the room that looked confused. Heero looked at his friends and saw that they knew what he was talking about. His eyes returned to Duo's frowning face.

"I have to go speak with the authorities," he told him, bringing his own face mere inches from the heart-shaped face now cradled between his hands. "But I had to come and back and make sure you were alright. I don't know when I can come back, it might be awhile."

Duo vigorously shook his head to protest Heero's statement and moisture began to fill his eyes.

"Shhhh.....I promise you, somehow or someway I'll find myself back to you," Heero vowed to the distraught young man who held his heart.

Not able to bear the anguish rising in Duo's eyes, Heero lowered his head and gently kissed him, putting all his love and feelings of devotion into it.

Duo kissed him back just as passionately while his tears fell and pooled gently against Hero's fingers that rested on both sides of his face.

"Shhhh." Heero said again in a soothing tone. "No more tears," he ordered softly and forced a smile to form on his face. "The guys will keep you safe and you're to get well, understand?" 

Do nodded and Heero tenderly brushed the tracks of his tears from off his face. //I love you,// Heero declared silently and making sure Duo could read his lips.

//I love you, too,// Duo replied soundlessly. /Come back to me./

"I will." Heero said aloud and with determination.

"I'll go with you," Wufei offered as he moved to stand beside the wanted man.

Trowa and Quatre followed and shook Heero's hand. "We're behind you, Heero," Trowa told him. "Never again will any of us be left to fight alone."

A look of gratitude crossed Heero's features. "Take care of him." He nodded to Duo with a look of longing.

"We will, Heero. Don't worry," Quatre answered, his own face threatening to crumble into a mushy mess of emotions.

With nothing more to say, Heero turned and left the room, Wufei at his side. The two remaining turned immediately to comfort the confused and distraught young man in the hospital bed.

TBC


	15. Web 15

Warnings and Disclaimers on first page

Web of Betrayal

By: Dyna Dee

Part 15, Betrayal's End 

Late afternoon found the three returning to Mrs. L.'s comforting home. Trowa carried Duo inside, disregarding his weak protest that he could walk by himself, with Quatre at his side ready to assist in any way. The elderly woman met them on the front porch step, and seeing their downcast countenances, gave each young man a warm and sympathetic embrace. She had made a comforting dinner of homemade vegetable soup and buttery dinner rolls, which Duo barely touched. He indicated soon after the dishes were cleared that he wanted to go to lie down.

With his right hand once again firmly gripping Trowa's shirt, he allowed his protector to carry him up the stairs, having no strength in body nor in his heart to do it on his own. A half hour later Trowa descended the stairs alone.

Quatre turned his worried eyes on him as he approached and watched his lover intently. Trowa looked as exhausted as he, himself, felt. Moving with an uncharacteristic shuffling of his feet, he threw his weary body down next to Quatre and leaned over until his head rested on his smaller lover's shoulder.

"This is so completely unfair," Quatre said sadly and tilted his head to rest against his lover's. Trowa twisted slightly to bring his arms up and wrapped them around Quatre's smaller body, seeking some measure of comfort.

"I'm going to call Sally and Une," Trowa said in a quiet voice and giving his lover an extra squeeze.

Quatre nodded and straightened slightly, knowing from experience that Trowa needed to be doing something when things went wrong. He sat patiently on the couch watching the news updates as Trowa stood to go to the phone on the table that rested against the back wall behind the couch.

The first call he placed was short and he reported to Quatre that Sally was on her way with an overnight bag, but before he could dial the next number, the phone rang; it was Wufei.

The conversation was pretty much one sided, Quatre observed, and unfortunately, not on his side. He could glean nothing from the "hum" or slight grunts Trowa gave as some sort of reply. 

"I understand," Trowa finally said. "I'll tell Quatre," he added and hung up the phone. 

Turning to the blond on the couch, he told him the news. "Relena's dead," he reported. "She died during surgery. Heero hasn't been charged, but is being held over for more questioning. Wufei said to be prepared to be called in as a witness and that we might want to look into getting Heero a lawyer."

"I already did," the blond replied. "While you were upstairs with Duo I called my lawyer on L-4 and asked him to come here to represent Heero. In the mean time, he's contacting an associate here on Earth who....," he looked at his watch, "should be at Preventer's Headquarters within twenty minutes."

Trowa smiled with appreciation for his lover as he moved to the couch and sat next to him. Then enfolding him in his arms once again, he took comfort in the gentle strength only Quatre could give him. "I guess there's nothing more we can do than just wait." He sighed despondently, silently wondering if their lives would ever be peaceful, without fear and danger always lurking around the corner.

They sat there quietly holding each other while listening to the faint sound of Mrs. L. working in the kitchen and then later in the back garden of the house.

Sally arrived a half hour later, a deep frown marring her face. She went directly to Duo and gave him another pain /sleeping pill to ease his discomfort and upset. She then returned downstairs to join the other two former pilots in their vigil.

They both looked up at her as she reentered the room, clipping her cell phone onto the waistband of her tan slacks and noticed the frown still on her face, her eyebrows pinched together in thought. "Something is going on here," she stated unhappily. "Noin hasn't checked in and Une isn't answering my calls," she told them.

"So?' Trowa asked, not understanding her meaning.

"Trowa," she leaned forward intently eyeing him. "Noin and those men were all being blackmailed by Relena," she told him. "And this morning, she told me Une was under Relena's thumb also."

Quatre gave a startled gasp at the information and Trowa bore the look of one betrayed.

"So they could be suspects, too?" Quatre finally found his voice and managed to speak. "Have you told anyone this information?" he asked.

Sally shook her head. "After all the commotion this morning, I went to bed believing all was well. But then I woke up to news of an assignation and that Heero is in custody. I tried to call both women, but didn't think anything about it until I realized neither had called me back. They always call me back," she informed them.

Trowa shot to his feet and went directly to the phone. He passed Mrs. L coming into the living room from the outdoors. He stopped abruptly, remembering his manners, and took hold of her hands. "I'm sorry to be bringing so much commotion into your home, Mrs. L.," he began sincerely, "but Sally will need to spend the night to insure Duo is recovering from his ordeal. Is that all right with you?"

Eyes faded from many years of observing life looked up into the young man's worried face. She pressed a soft, wrinkled palm against his cheek. "This is your home too, dear," she told him kindly. "You have brought life back into this old home when I had thought it was about to die out. You and your friends must all consider this a place to come home to, for comfort, love, and shelter from the world."

The lines of worry softened on Trowa's face to reveal sincere affection for the gentle woman. "Thank you, Mrs. L." He pulled her into a careful embrace. "You have no idea what a home means to me," he whispered emotionally.

"Well, maybe I do, just a little bit." She patted his back then stepped from his embrace. "You should rest, dear. You and Mr. Quatre look exhausted."

He nodded. "I will as soon as I call Wufei back," he told her.

"Alright," she said, satisfied with his answer. "I'll show Dr. Poe to her room." He watched as the elderly woman warmly greeted their new guest and slowly led her up the stairs to the last vacant room at the far end of the upstairs hall.

Turning, he lifted the phone from its base and punched in the familiar number.

"Chang here." Wufei's voice sounded tired.

"It's Trowa," he announced. "Have you heard from Noin or Lady Une?" he asked.

"There's an APB out on Noin, but Une has been suspiciously absent since the shooting," he reported. "I suspect it's because she is too emotionally upset by the assassination to deal with it objectively."

"She and Noin were apparently being blackmailed by Relena. That's what Noin told Sally this morning."

Silence followed.

"That may help Heero, if we can locate them. The maid's statement from the argument between Relena and Heero this morning hasn't help him much. Especially when she reported Relena had red marks on her neck from where Heero had held her up again the wall, and then wished her dead as he left."

Trowa shook his head. This didn't look good at all, and once the newspapers got a hold of that story. "We have to find them immediately before this gets out of hand and Heero becomes the government's scapegoat."

"That's my first priority," Wufei stated. "How's Duo doing? Did you call Sally?"

"She's here and he's asleep. Quatre and I are going to bed also, but don't hesitate to call if something comes up."

"I won't."

"Take care of Heero."

"I'm on it."

"Get some sleep."

*pause* "I'll try."

A click on both ends completed the short call. Hanging the phone up, Trowa turned to be greeted by worried and tired blue eyes. "Lets go to bed," he told the blond with his hand extended out in an invitation to join him.

Quatre nodded and walked around the couch to take the offered hand. They climbed the stairs together and entered Trowa's room. With the nightlight illuminating just enough to see in the darkness, they both looked down on the slight form sleeping in the middle of the bed. Duo had a pillow and his small quilt tucked up against his chest, his thin body curled around them.

"How are we going to do this?" Quatre asked in a whisper, a bit perplexed by his exhaustion.

"I'll sleep in the middle," Trowa offered as he began to pull off his loose hanging tie and unbuttoned his uniform shirt. Quatre immediately began to help by undoing his lover's belt and unzipped the fly to his pants, then let the dress slacks fall over the slim hips to the floor, the shirt following a second later.

Trowa then returned the favor and began to unbutton the smaller blond's dress shirt and pulled the hem out from his pants and continued the process until they both stood in only their t-shirts and boxers.

"Come on", Quatre yawned. "I'll help you move him."

Five minutes later, the three former gundam pilots were nestled into bed. Trowa lay on his back as two smaller bodies snuggled against him on each side. He leaned down and gently kissed the top of both heads, then allowed himself to drift off into a much needed and exhausted sleep.

"Che!"

The quiet sound roused the former mercenary out of his deep sleep, and his waking senses alerted him to the fact that his bed companions were still snuggled firmly against him and that he could definitely feel that someone else was in the room and watching them. He cautiously opened his eyes and blinked them into focus in the dim light of pre-dawn. When they finally adjusted, he could see two shapes at the end of his bed. Almost immediately he succeeded in identifying them, then nearly wished he hadn't awakened, realizing he was looking at Wufei, shaking his head while smirking at them and Heero, who stood next to the Chinese Preventer looking anything but happy at the view before him. In fact, Heero looked down right pissed.

"Well someone died and went to hentai heaven," Wufei chuckled softly at the three snuggled together in the queen-sized bed.

"Just don't get use to it," Heero warned in a stern whisper looking directly into Trowa's eyes.

Trowa knew that this situation looked bad. Duo was pressed up tightly against him, his head nestled on his shoulder and wounded arm resting on his chest, his hand clutching his t-shirt. He rushed to explain before Heero jumped on the bed to kill him. "Duo's just insecure at the moment, Heero. Because of what he's just gone through, he just needs reassurance that I'm not leaving." Then seeing the grim frown on his Japanese friend's face, he knew he'd said something wrong.

The unhappy look softened on Heero's features as he gazed upon Duo's relaxed face as he rested trustingly in Trowa's arms. "Like I did," he said with remorse.

"So what happened?" Trowa asked, feeling awkward at Heero's self-castigating mood.

Heero seemed to shake off his moodiness and answered. "They decided to release me. Not much sense keeping me any longer when Noin and I corroborated that we saw each other outside the conference room at the time of the shooting."

"Then who do you think killed Relena?" Trowa asked, his puzzlement was clear to the other two.

Wufei shrugged. "Evidently she was blackmailing quite a few people, probably more than we know or can speculate about: Heero, Noin, the three Preventers, Une, possibly a warden and a judge, and someone in Quatre's family. There could be many more, and probably most of them wanted her dead."

"Frankly, I don't care who did it," Heero interjected as he moved to the right side of the bed where Duo slept soundly and oblivious to the conversation. "I'm just glad she won't be able to hurt us any more."

"Do you guys have to discuss this right now?" Quatre's gravelly and slightly irritated voice asked. His head remained unmoved from Trowa's strong shoulder and his eyes stayed closed.

"Why doesn't Duo wake up?" Heero asked as he looked down with a tinge of jealously on his soul mate nestled contentedly in Trowa's embrace. His eyes took in the long temporary brace that encased Duo's slender arm from the just below his shoulder down to his wrist.

"Sally gave him another pain pill. It knocks him out for eight to ten hours," Trowa replied.

Heero sighed. "I could use one of those," he said wearily.

"Go to bed," Quatre mumbled, sounding unusually cranky. 

Wufei chuckled. It was obvious to him that the normally cheerful Arabian was not a morning person. In fact, he once recalled Trowa comparing the blond's disposition when being awakened during the night to that of a bear being roused from its sleep during hibernation.

Heero looked at Duo, clearly undecided as to what he should do. Then kicking off his shoes and undoing the jeans he'd worn for almost twenty-four hours, he shed them and his t-shirt. Pulling back the covers, he crawled into the already crowded bed, and pressed himself up against the slender body of his lover, taking care not to bump his wounded arm, then closed his eyes, finally able to give himself up to his exhaustion.

"Guess that leaves you, Wufei," Trowa said in an amused tone. "Care to find a spot and join us?"

With a smirk and shake of his head, the last standing man in the room declined. "I've got a bed in the other room that promises I won't be squished nor have anyone's snoring to keep me up. Can't say the same for you, though." With a wave of his hand he turned to leave the room. The door shut silently behind him.

Trowa smiled before a large yawn took over. Adjusting the blanket to cover the four of them, he kissed the top of the blond head again and allowed himself to go back to sleep.

  
  


A slight gasp escaped Duo's lips as he began to emerge from his drug-induced sleep. Waking slowly, he blinked his eyes open. He glanced at the alarm clock that had never been set since he began sleeping in this room, and saw that it was forty-five minutes after ten in the morning. He also became fully aware that he lay on his right side with a pillow and his small quilt pressed to his chest, holding the bulky brace on his arm up for circulation and in a more comfortable position. The bed before him was empty and in realizing this, a feeling of panic began to fill him. He hadn't wakened alone since Trowa found him, and the familiar feeling of being deserted began to overwhelm him. Then a warmth against his back, and the small, warm puffs of air on his neck registered in his mind and his body calmed; he wasn't alone, he hadn't been deserted. Leaning backwards into the warmth just slightly, he turned his head to see who it was. His heart nearly stopped at the sight of the dark brown hair that could only belong to one person.

Careful not to jar his aching arm, Duo eased himself onto his back so he could turn his head fully to gaze at the slumberer. He brought his right hand up to caress the bronze cheek. Cobalt blue eyes snapped open and a soft smile of recognition instantly lit on Heero's face.

"Morning." Heero's low voice spoke for the both of them. Duo answered him with a warm smile, encouraging Heero enough that he rose up from where he slept and leaned over the smaller man to capture his lover's lips. When they parted from what they both hoped was the first of a lifetime of good morning greetings, they both smiled warmly at each other, and Heero carefully climbed completely over the slender body to move to the other side, putting himself in the spot Trowa had occupied earlier.

Both young men shifted until they were pressed comfortably against each other, legs entwined and arms wrapped carefully around each other, Duo's injured arm was resting heavily on top of Heero's side. Both sighed in a rare feeling of contentment that neither had felt for over two and a half years.

"She's gone, Duo." Heero spoke softly against his love's soft, free flowing hair as he held Duo to him. "Relena's dead."

Duo pulled his head back to look with concern and worry into Heero's face.

"I don't want you to worry," Heero told him firmly, then leaned forward and kissed the tip of the pert nose in front of him. "I didn't do it, and I don't care who did," he told him. "I'm just happy we're free of her and her machinations. She can't hurt either of us again."

Duo's eyes were brimming with emotion and he pressed forward again, bringing his face to rest in the crook of Heero's neck, relishing the feelings of safety and security that he felt when he was this close to Heero. They lay there a long while, and could possibly have spent the day just like that if it wasn't for the knock on the door.

"Go away," Heero barked out and pulled Duo's slight body even closer.

The door opened in defiance of the order to admit Wufei with a forced, fake frown on his face. "Alright, break it up, break it up," he called out in an exaggerated tone of disapproval from the open doorway even as his mouth twitched to smile.

Neither body on the bed moved.

"You slept right through breakfast guys," he told them. "Mrs L. has lunch ready and she's worrying about Duo. How about coming down and eating? It will make her feel better."

The long-haired young man reluctantly moved back from Heero's hold and nodded his head.

Heero sighed. "Life goes on, right?" he looked into the large eyes on the pale face. It was clear to him in the light of day that Duo was still not very healthy and his kidnaping has set his progress back.

"Come on." He smiled encouragingly. "We'll eat lunch then relax in the garden." Heero knew it was Duo's favorite place to be during the day. The suggestion gained him a true smile.

"I put your suitcase in Duo's room," Wufei said over his shoulder as he pulled the door closed behind him.

"How about a quick shower together?" Heero asked as he got up and looked around for his discarded jeans. He turned for Duo's response in time to see him point forlornly at the brace on his arm.

"I take it you can't shower?" Heero asked.

Duo shook his head no.

"How about a wicked sponge bath?" He suggested with a knowing smile and raising his eyebrows up and down, suggesting something decidedly wicked indeed as his mind swirled with possibilities.

Though Duo smiled in response, there was a recognizable glint of fear in his eyes. Heero saw and recognized it for what it was, making it clear that it was too soon for the kind of play that use to be a part of their daily lives.

Heero pulled on his jeans, zipped them up, then moved to help Duo out of the bed. "Tell you what," he moved slowly to cradle the heart-shaped face in his hands. "Why don't you use the bathroom first while I get us some fresh clothing?" The hint of fear disappeared, replaced by the visible emotions of relief and gratitude as Duo smiled back at Heero's suggestion.

Twenty minutes later, the two entered the kitchen to see their three friends and Sally already eating and Mrs. L. stood at the stove, an apron around her rounded waist and a wooden spoon in her hand as she stirred the contents in a large stock pot. She turned and beamed a smile at the newcomers. "There's my boy!" she said as she wiped her hands on her apron, then moved towards Duo standing near the table with his right hand holding tightly onto Heero's shirt.

"Did you sleep well, dear?" she asked him tenderly and leaned forward to kiss his pale cheeks.

Duo nodded and quickly put a brief kiss on the wrinkled but smooth cheek next to his.

"He's tired," Heero reported with a slight look of concern and worry. "We're going to take it easy today."

"I'd like to take a look at Duo after he's had something to eat," Sally said, looking at the pale face with a slight frown.

"Then come and sit," Mrs. L. entreated the two and motioned to the two vacant chairs. "I've got a pot full of goulash just waiting to be eaten."

As soon as they took their seats, the promised food was set in front of them. Duo began to eat in a slower manner than usual, with Heero and the others cautiously watching his every move.

"So what news have you had on the investigation Wufei?" Heero asked the Chinese Preventer dressed in his uniform. It was obvious he was about to go into the office.

"Lady Une reported in this morning shortly after we left and presented a letter of resignation," Wufei reported as he watched Heero pierce a piece of potato and then a carrot on his fork and popped the two into his mouth. "Noin has also resigned."

"Who's going to be put in charge?" Heero asked, his brow furrowed.

"Milliardo Peacecraft has been called back into town to temporarily take on Une's role as Head of the Preventers." Wufei answered. "There was some arguing that he shouldn't be put in charge when the assassination of his sister will be the Preventer's top priority for the next couple of months. The argument was that he's too close to the case to be objective about it."

"That's a very good point." Trowa spoke up. He was dressed in casual clothing, so Heero doubted he would be returning to the office to take up the case. "They weren't that close, but he might try to find someone to blame. A scapegoat."

"Milliardo has a good head on his shoulders." Sally interjected a bit defensively. "He's grown a lot since the war and I think he'd do well as head of the Preventers."

"But his only sibling is dead and his wife was blackmailed by her," Quatre said as he pushed his empty plate away from the him. "That's got to mess with your head."

"I'll just keep a close eye on him," Wufei said with a frown, now having doubts about the new person chosen to keep the Preventers going. The phone in the living room rang and Mrs. L. moved to answer it.

"Will charges be brought against Noin and the other three Preventers who took Duo?" Heero asked then put another fork full of food into his mouth as he waited for an answer.

Wufei shrugged. "Hard to say at this point. The arrest warrant looks valid. If it is, they were just carrying out their duty."

"Excuse me Mr. Yuy." Mrs. L stood behind them, having come silently back into the room. "But the telephone is for you. It's Mr. Peacecraft."

The room went silent, and Heero looked up from his plate to his companions. Wiping his mouth with his napkin, he scooted his chair back. His eyes turned to Duo's. "I'm sure it's nothing," he told him. "I'll be right back."

Duo quickly fisted the front of Heero's shirt, and his eyes pleaded with him to stay.

"I promise you, I'm just going to talk to him. I'm not leaving your side today."

Hesitating, Duo slowly loosened his grip and let Heero move to stand. His troubled eyes followed him as he left the room. Mrs L. sat in Heero's chair and picked up Duo's slack hand as she smiled warmly at him. "It's alright dear." She told him. "Mr. Yuy has already stated he has plans with you and the swing out back. I don't think he'd miss that for the whole world."

Duo still looked unsure and insecure as his eyes strayed from the elderly woman to the direction where Heero had disappeared.

"Now try to eat your meal because you can't go outside until Ms. Poe has a look at you and she won't do that unless you eat something." The elderly woman smiled at him encouragingly.

He nodded in reply, but ate very little of what was placed before him.

Five long minutes later, Heero reappeared with an emotionless look on his face. Mrs. L. had gone to the sink to start washing dishes with Sally at her side, so his seat was once again vacant. He sat down and stared at his plate for a moment as he seemed to be organizing his thoughts.

"Well?" Wufei asked impatiently.

"He wants me to come in and meet with him, and he wants me to bring Duo."

"No!" Trowa said sharply, his tone indicating he was going to hold stubbornly to his decision.

"I told him no." Heero looked up at the auburn haired young man. "On both counts." 

"Did he accept your answer?" Quatre asked.

"He said he could issue an arrest warrant for the both of us if I didn't comply." He looked up at the five staring at him intensely. "I said we'd be gone before they could get here."

"Do we need to pack now?" Trowa asked with a regretful look towards Mrs. L. He really hated to leave her.

"No." Heero shook his head. "I told him Duo was not well today and that I wouldn't leave him. I told him that if it was really important that he could come here for a brief interview, but Duo and I won't leave the premises. I advised him to come alone."

"I'll give it to you Heero, you've got balls." Wufei snorted. "You've just been released from custody, and you're already telling the new head of the Preventers what he can and can't do."

"I have to put Duo first," Heero answered with a tender glance exchanged with the violet-eyed young man sitting next to him. "I don't mind answering his questions, but I won't have Duo interrogated and intimidated. Not now, and not ever again."

Duo carefully moved to lean over and twisted his torso in order to put his right arm around Heero's broad shoulder and hugged him as fiercely as his present condition would allow.

"When's he coming?" Sally asked as she held a damp plate in her hand and dried it with a dish towel, her eyes suspiciously moist and turning red from the tender moment.

"In two hours."

"Then I better check Duo over in case I'm asked for an opinion as to his current physical condition." She put the towel down and looked at the person in question. "Are you done eating Duo?"

With an audible sigh, he nodded, looking as if he was doomed. His eyes then turned to look with a silent appeal at Trowa.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Trowa guessed at what Duo was asking.

A nod of his head was the answer.

"I'll go with you," Heero offered, then a faint look of hurt crossed his face as Duo shook his head, giving Heero a look of regret.

"Alright," Heero replied, trying to hold back any further signs of the hurt he felt that Duo would choose Trowa over him.

Duo suddenly moved and took hold of the front of Heero's shirt until he got the man's attention and looked into his face. //You'll stay here? You won't leave?// his lips silently spoke his worry.

A small smile graced the Japanese man's face. "I'll be here, Duo. I told you, I'll never leave you again," he answered.

Duo nodded and then stood, waiting for Trowa and Sally to lead him upstairs to the privacy of Trowa's bedroom.

The three made it to the stairway before Trowa's curiosity got the best of him. "Why didn't you want Heero to stay with you instead of me?" he asked the long haired man hobbling with effort up the stairs.

Duo stopped and turned to face him. His lips moved and Trowa carefully studied them. //I didn't want him to see me in this condition.// He tugged at his baggy clothing. //I'm too scrawny.//

Trowa smiled and nodded. "That may be so, but he loves you. He doesn't care if you're skinny or even fat, Duo. He just wants you."

A small smile lit Duo's face as he turned and trudged up the remaining stairs.

The two reunited lovers sat in relative peace and quiet in the fragrant and ornately blooming backyard. Heero's foot gave a slight push each time the garden swing swung back to keep the momentum going. Duo had fallen asleep again, and he'd positioned him so that his upper body was cradled in is arms, his pale face pressed against his chest, and his legs were curled up on the other half of the swing. Wufei had gone to work and Trowa and Quatre were busy making phone calls. Mrs. L. stepped outside the back door every so often to offer lemonade, tea, or a tempting treat, but since the time Duo had fallen asleep, Heero had been left entirely alone with the recovering young man nestled protectively in his arms.

His eyes studied the beautiful face resting against him. He moved his hand to brush back a couple of long, stray hairs that were out of place. He missed Duo's braid. Of course he'd never tell Duo how much, because he knew its loss must have been very painful to his lover. During the war, the vivacious and beautiful teen from L-2, who had at that time just become his lover, told him of the sentimentality he attached to his long braid, stating that it was in many ways a memorial to those he'd loved and lost to death.

Hearing the back door open, Heero was brought out of his thoughts of the past and turned his head to recognize the tall blond man he'd known in the war as Zechs Marquise, the Lightening Count, step out into the lush garden. Two sets of blue eyes locked and the new head of the Preventers strode confidently towards the two resting on the patio swing. Behind Zech, Heero could see Trowa standing in the doorway, letting him know he was guarding them.

Milliardo Peacecraft grabbed one of the lounge chairs and with one hand, carried it over to place it in front of the gently moving swing. He sat, crossed one leg over the other, then let his eyes fall on the sleeping form of Duo Maxwell. His facial features softened as he took in the changes in his one time opponent and one time ally.

"Une showed me his file," the tall blond said, keeping his voice soft. "I'm sorry for all he's had to endure."

"All because of Relena," Heero added bitterly.

Milliardo nodded, then looked into Heero's frowning face. "I had no knowledge of what she was doing to him or yourself Heero, though I had a few suspicions."

"I knew," Heero replied a bit softer. "And I still couldn't stop her."

They sat in silence for a few minutes before Heero looked up at him questioningly. "What do you want from us Zechs?" Even though the war was long over and he was looking at his former brother-in-law, he'd always had a hard time addressing the tall, aristocratic blond man by his real name, Milliardo. To him he would always be Zechs.

Dressed in casual clothing consisting of dark blue jeans and a white oxford shirt, Zechs looked cool and calm as he straightened in response to the question. "I read your statement," he said to the younger man. "And I never realized how much my sister had become corrupted by her office." His tone was grave. "She was much too young to be entrusted with that much power and authority. I'm not making excuses for her Heero, but she didn't possess the maturity to understand that kind of power nor the responsibility that comes with it. She obviously didn't understand that having so much power didn't mean that she could have whatever she wanted, and that having the office, clout and/or power she had didn't give her the right to try and take what she wanted by force or manipulation just because she could." He paused to search Heero's face. "She must have wanted you so badly that she ignored her better judgement, and having all she needed in money, people and resources, she fulfilled the old saying that power corrupts absolutely. She found your weakness and discovered underhanded means to get you away from Duo and put you at her side. She then used that information to carry out her own agenda to keep you there."

He leaned forward and rested his forearms on his knees. "I don't believe you were the first nor the last person she had in her web of deceit and betrayal Heero. In fact, I know she was blackmailing several others in order to close down Duo's business, and manipulated other people into doing her dirty work."

"Noin?" Heero asked.

The blond nodded with a sad look on his face. "I should have guessed, but I was too worried about keeping Relena off of my back."

"She was blackmailing you?" Heero's surprise was evident on his normally placid face, though his voice raised only slightly.

"That's not important." Zechs flicked his hand as if to dismiss the topic.

"I think it is," Heero answered with a frown. He shifted Duo in his arms as they'd begun to cramp from being stationary for so long.

"It won't change anything." Zechs answered.

"What's the point of this visit then?" Heero's patience was almost spent.

"I want you to let go of any legal retaliation for what Relena did to you and Duo." He put up his hand to forestall Heero's protest. "From what I saw in Duo's folder, he has a very good case in which to sue Relena, if she was still alive. He could still file a suit and pursue a claim against her estate, which is quite substantial, for damages caused by my sister. He would probably win, and the press would have a field day with it."

He scooted closer to the edge of his seat. "If you choose to do this, the Peacecraft name will be irreparably tainted by the scandal." He told the Japanese man. "I would like to avoid that if possible."

"She mentally tortured me every day for two and a half years Zechs," Heero said between gritted teeth. "She made me leave the only person I ever loved, causing him to try and take his life. And when I didn't sleep with her, she had him framed for stealing from his best friend. Duo was unknowingly caught up in her web of selfishness and betrayal. She made it look as if all of us betrayed him, with the exception of Trowa. We both have been hurt in ways that might be impossible to recover from."

"I understand that," Zechs said in a much calmer tone. "And I'm sorry, but I'm here today to make you an offer, one I hope you'll find acceptable."

Heero's left eyebrow rose in question.

"I'm willing to offer you Relena's entire estate, her money and holdings, in exchange for your cooperation in this matter. Take the money, and with it you can take care of Duo for the rest of your lives. You'll never have to worry about leaving him for work or not having the money to pay for medical or psychological help for the both of you. You can give him anything and everything."

"You would do this just to keep Relena's name clean?" Heero asked looking doubtful. "She didn't earn that honor in life, Zechs. Though, to her adoring public, she was like an angel who could do no wrong." His eyes narrowed on the fair skinned man. "Are you so different from her that you think you can bend me to your will by the lure of money and the promise of security?"

"Heero," Zech's face took on a look of gentle pleading. "I think I can make a difference. Une has resigned her post, though I don't think she should have. The Preventers needs someone to lead them, someone the world would hold in high esteem. I can't do that if my name is dragged through the mud along with Relena's. She was my sister, and our names will always be linked together. I'm asking you, not for her sake, but for mine and the Preventers. If I don't take the helm, the organization will lose credibility and fail. We can't afford for that to happen now. Maintaining the fragile peace is too important."

Zechs closed his eyes and sighed. "I've done all the pleading that I'm going to," he said quietly. "Do you have any questions for me?"

Heero looked down at his love and wondered what to do. Duo certainly deserved to have his revenge on Relena, even though she was dead. Her pacifist name had meant a lot to her as did the ideals she touted but failed to live. She was a hypocrite and the world deserved to know it. But at what cost? He wondered. His eyes studied the face of the beautiful person he held in his arms. Duo had suffered so much. A court trial to expose Relena would mean testifying, not only in front of a judge or a possible jury, but to the press. They would make a circus out of Duo's sufferings before, during and after the war. Whatever happened in Section Ten of P.C. Four would have to come out in detail to show the extent of Duo's suffering caused by Relena's manipulations.

Duo's face gently nuzzled against Heero's chest, seeking reassurance that he was still there. The unconscious movement caused Heero to smile, just slightly. Duo trusted him again and was depending on him to be there. It was up to him to make the decision that was right for Duo, not for himself nor for Zechs. In that light, the decision became easy.

"Will the arrest warrant for Duo be canceled?"

"It's already done. An investigation is in progress and an officer of the Preventers is interviewing the warden of P.C. Four as we speak. If he is corrupt, he will be brought to justice as will the judge on L-4."

"Am I still a suspect in Relena's murder?"

Zechs nodded his head. "You and Noin cleared each other."

Heero paused. "You do know that I only saw her when I arrived at the hotel, not during the shooting, don't you?"

A nod from the Preventer was his only answer. "But she saw you, and knew you didn't shoot Relena, though heaven knows you showed great restraint. She felt you shouldn't have to take the blame for something you hadn't done."

"I don't know that she didn't do it." Heero told him.

"I know she didn't." Zechs told him. His look told Heero to ask no further on the subject.

"Then who did?"

Adjusting himself back into his chair, the Head of the Preventers took on a more formal appearance, he was all business now and Heero could see that in posture and confidence alone, Zechs would be a man the Preventers would look up to and follow.

"Ballistics state that the bullet that hit my sister in the center of the frontal lobe was from an antique shell, probably shot from an old relic gun that someone had for the purpose of collecting. There is no match on record of the marks on the casing."

"A gun hobbyist?" Heero asked perplexed. "Do you know anyone like that?" 

"A lot of prestigious families have extensive gun collections. My father did as well as Treiz's family, Noventa's, Dermail's, and a dozen others that I know of. An investigation is continuing, but we may have to look at something other than the weapon, that is unless it's dropped into our laps."

"Motive?" Heero asked.

"If we could find a list of the people she was blackmailing, we could begin to eliminate possible assassins."

Duo stirred in his arms, but then resettled as he wrapped his right arm tighter around Heero's waist for a moment, then let it slack when he fell back to sleep. Heero had seen from his vantage point the unhappy frown that marred the face of the dreamer.

"Duo is my first concern, Zechs." Heero spoke so soft the Preventer had to lean forward to hear him. "I think going to court is the right thing to do, to make Relena's misdeeds her true legacy." He looked up to see the unhappy countenance Zechs wore. "But putting Duo on trial to testify about all the abuse he's endured would be too traumatic. If I take what you offer as a remittance for his suffering, do you promise me we'll never be bothered by this again?" 

"I swear it to you Heero," he answered vehemently. "I'm the person who will legally inherit Relena's entire estate, but the day I receive it, I will turn it over to you without a second thought. You deserve recompense after what she's done to the both of you. I'll give it to you with no regrets and no repercussions."

"I want his name expunged." Heero told him. "Relena had him set up and I want his record cleared as well as his name. The Maxwell name means a lot to him," he added thoughtfully.

Zechs paused for a moment in consideration. "I'm not sure how to go about that, but I promise to see what I can do," he told him.

"Then I guess there's only one thing left that I need to know," Heero stated.

The blond tilted his head to the side as his puzzled eyes met Heero's steady gaze. "And what's that?"

"What was Relena blackmailing you with?"

"I don't think it's necessary to go into that Heero. It's something from my past."

"I want to know or there's no deal." The look on the Japanese man's face showed his serious intent.

Zechs sighed and shook his head. "This conversation goes no further, understand?" he requested of the Japanese boy. Heero nodded his head n agreement, then Zechs continued. "It was the same thing she held over Une's head," he said in a hushed, embarrassed tone.

"You and Une were involved?" Heero asked, feeling shocked at the idea as Zechs and the former head of the Preventers never seemed to get along.

"No," the blond man answered with an amused smile at the idea. Then his smile faded as he continued, "but Treize and I were involved when we were younger." He looked up and almost smiled at the look of shock on Heero's face, almost. "Relena found out after the first war, after I became involved with Lu. She threatened to expose my relationship with him and ruin both our reputations and my relationship with Noin."

"Why did this information affect Lady Une?" The other asked, clearly bemused.

"She was in love with Treize herself," the blond man explained. "And also very devoted to him. She wants his legacy to stay in tact and not besmirched by an unconventional sexual relationship with one of his subordinates. That wouldn't look very good in the history books."

Heero frowned and shook his head at all the people hurt and used by Relena. At the same time, he had his information, now he could come to a decision.

"I think you'll be good for the Preventers, Zechs," Heero said, giving the other man his cryptic approval. 

Zechs smiled at the decision he'd hoped for. "Thank you, Heero. That means a lot coming from you."

The blond man stood from his chair and offered his hand to seal the deal they'd just made. Heero took it and shook hands again with the very man he'd given his first handshake to so long ago. 

Two minutes after the Zechs left the house, Trowa and Quatre came outside and sat in the two chairs in front of the swing.

"What did he want?" Trowa asked, his eyes falling from Heero's face to check on Duo as he slept soundly in the sheltering embrace.

"To make a deal," Heero replied. "Our silence for Relena's fortune."

Both former pilots looked at him with varying expressions; Quatre looked shocked, and Trowa thoughtful. "To save the family name?" The blond guessed.

"That and avoid the negative publicity that would hinder his abilities as the new Head of the Preventers," he replied.

"What was your decision?" Trowa inquired with a steady gaze focused on the Japanese man.

"I accepted."

"But why Heero?" Quatre asked, looking perplexed. "Duo has a solid case against Relena's estate for what she did to him. You could have seen her actions exposed to the public so that she doesn't die a martyr to a cause she was totally hypocritical of."

Lowering his head once again to study his mate, Heero answered. "I did it to spare Duo from having to testify as to what he's gone through because of Relena. I just want to help him put it behind him and enjoy life again. With Relena's inheritance, Duo can have anything he'll ever want, the best doctors, the best care, and a guarantee that he'll never be hungry or hurt ever again."

"Is that the only reason?" Trowa looked skeptical.

"It's the main reason, but no," Heero answered honestly. "I believe Zechs will be a good leader for the Preventers, and he needs his good name in order to do his job well. He'll see that to it that the organization stays in existence so that we won't ever have to fight again."

There were a few moments of silence before Trowa spoke up again. "I agree with your decision. Duo comes first, and he would have to testify in a civil suit exposing Relena's misdeeds and the abuse he was forced to endure. I think it's best to put it in the past and deal with the future. His body and mind will be our focus for months to come and a lawsuit would distract us from making him well again."

"I agree," Quatre said quietly. "Although I was willing to care for Duo for the rest of his life."

"Thank you," Heero whispered emotionally, "for being our friends."

They sat there together, not saying a word, but relishing the idea that the threats and fears they'd had for so long were now put to rest and that they could look forward to helping Duo regain his life without Relena's shadow hovering over their every move.

*******

Two weeks later, Duo sat in the doctor's office, his mouth wide open as the doctor pulled the scope out of his mouth. He presented the young man with a pleased smile. "Well, everything looks great Denver," he announced and chuckled at the sound of the four people behind him sighing in relief. "Would you like to try saying something?" he asked. "Got some famous first words?"

Duo looked thoughtful for a moment, then nodded and cautiously hopped off the exam table, avoiding hitting his newly cast left arm, to walk over to his friends. 

"Only a few words now," the doctor told him. "And very quietly."

The smiling, long haired young man looked at his good friends returning his gaze with anticipation, but he stopped directly in front of Trowa. Reaching up to clasp his hands behind his friend's neck, he pulled the taller man down placing Trowa's cheek against his own. "Thank you, Trowa." His voice came out raspy and weak, but every one in the room heard it and heartily applauded the sound. He kissed his friend on the cheek with affection and let go.

Trowa straightened and smiled warmly at the gesture Duo had made on his behalf. It had all been worth it, he thought. The two years of working and saving to rescue him were all worth that very moment when he saw a sparkle of happiness back in Duo's amazing eyes, and to have been gifted with the first truly coherent words he'd spoken in over two years. He was awed and humbled by the experience. He reached out and cupped the other's cheek. "You're welcome," he replied with moist eyes. "Anything for a friend."

Duo's smile grew, and he turned with happiness radiating from him to look at Heero. "I love you," he rasped out while throwing his arms out wide for a hug.

Heero returned the smile and quickly enveloped the long haired man in his arms. "And I love you more than words can ever describe," he whispered back.

"Let's celebrate!" Quatre was nearly jumping out of his skin with happiness, his blue eyes shinny and bright.

"Just one moment." The doctor interrupted and all eyes in the room went to him. "I just want to make sure you know that Denver here will need physical therapy to strengthen his vocal chords. I've set up a tentative appointment for tomorrow morning and my receptionist will give you the address and paper work you'll need." He looked at the jubilant patient. "You'll have to limit the use of your voice until then," he told him. "Your therapist will let you know how much you can use it until it's strong enough to hold its own."

"We'll make sure he's there," Wufei assured the older man, the smile on his face matched that of the others. He couldn't help the warmth that was seeping through his whole body as the group of friends celebrated what was the first of what they all hoped to be of the many accomplishments Duo would make in returning to a normal life. He knew that they were all committed to that end.

******

Lucretia Noin Peacecraft quietly entered the study where her husband had retreated after dinner. The last two weeks had left him exhausted, drained, and feeling completely accomplished. Her eyes lit on him as he sat behind his large mahogany desk, appreciating for a moment how wonderful he look in jeans and a soft green t-shirt, his feet propped up on the edge as he leaned back in his black leather chair. On top of the desk was an antique she'd seen many times before.

"Are you alright?" she asked as she approached, looking at the gun curiously.

"I'm fine." He sat up at her approach and smiled at her. She was dressed in her usual "at home" clothing, consisting today of a short denim skirt that showed off her lovely, long legs and a short-sleeved, white collared shirt that was neatly tucked in. He quickly motioned for her to sit on his lap. 

She sat down and raked her fingers through his long, blond hair. "How was work?" she asked, silently missing her work at the Preventers, now a thing in the past since Relena's death. She had avoided being censured for her part in Duo's questionable arrest by resigning, thus keeping the Peacecraft name clear of any scandal.

"Hectic, as usual." He smiled at her.

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she kissed him tenderly. When she broke the kiss she smiled at him knowingly. "But you love it, don't you?"

He smiled back. "I have to admit it, I really do," he replied sheepishly and with a chuckle.

"What's with the gun?" she asked looking at the ancient relic. "Isn't that the one Treize gave you during the war as a token of his friendship?" 

"Yes," he answered, reaching out his hand to finger the handle of the pearl handled revolver. "I was thinking of donating it to his museum. He really loved old guns, practiced with them almost every day."

"Won't it be difficult for you to part with it?" She frowned knowing he'd always cherished the weapon. "It was his last gift to you, a token of his friendship."

"It served it's purpose." He pushed the gun to the side of his desk. "But sometimes the things we keep around just bring back bad memories."

"You miss him terribly, don't you?" she asked, brushing his long bangs back from his eyes.

"More than you'll ever know," he said thoughtfully, then claimed his wife's mouth in a desperate, melding kiss.

On to the Epilogue


	16. Web Epilogue

Web of Betrayal

By: Dyna Dee 

Epilogue 

Warnings: Yaoi, no longer lemon, slightly lime, oh, and sap. 

Six months quickly followed the day Duo's voice returned. During that time, Relena's assassin was still unidentified and at large. The weapon used to kill her was never found and the security tapes from the hotel failed to produce any further evidence. The assassin was assumed to be a professional as he/she stood just out of range of the cameras when they took aim and shot the Vice Foreign Minister. Milliardo Peacecraft had proved as good as his word; the money he inherited from Relena's estate was promptly signed over to Heero and Duo. He was also proving to be an excellent leader for the Preventers, leading the group of peace defenders out of the controversy following in the wake of Relena's assassination. Internal leaks to the press regarding corruption within the organization and the resignation of top Preventer officials proved to the public that the flailing agency needed a strong leader. Zechs proved worthy of that title by stepping up to the challenge and giving the Preventers organization a thorough housecleaning, eliminating those individuals who had demonstrated their unworthiness at being called keepers of the peace. 

Quatre followed up on Relena's threats against his family by doing a complete audit of the Winner Corporation's books. All errors done intentionally or not were rectified, and several of his sisters were dismissed from their high-paid jobs on the grounds of incompetence and conflict of interest. He never did get a confession from Rennanda regarding her part in Duo's arrest, but he banished her from his home and dismissed her from her position in the corporation on grounds that she overstepped her duties and abandoned her moral respectability in writing the damming letter to the judge and warden that caused his friend to suffer needlessly. 

As the days turned to weeks, the four former pilots became even closer friends, and as they worked together to shelter and heal their traumatized friend, they became very much aware that the brash, reckless boy they had known in their teens was changed, probably forever by the experiences he had lived through. Though he had gained his voice back, his words were spoken cautiously, and used sparingly. He never spoke to any of them of his experiences in Section Ten of the penal colony. It was only through joint therapy sessions with Duo, aimed at helping the two young men accept the past and move on to a future together, that Heero gleaned some insight to the nightmare assaults Duo described to his therapist. Those hour-long sessions proved to be painful and draining to both young men, leaving them pensive and depressed for several days that followed. They always returned home from these intense sessions red eyed and exhausted, a visible signal to their friends and to Mrs. L to stand close at hand to support the two through the difficult process of healing.

There were other noted changes in the former Shinigami. The wild and reckless, devil-may-care teen had turned into a quiet young, introspective man with an easy smile. He also lacked his former knack for spontaneity, which had once been such a dominant part of his personality. He now preferred to know in advance where they were going, what exactly was going to happen there and who would be present. He still had some fear of large, loud crowds, strangers, and big, burly men, but these fears were slowly diminishing with frequent outings with his friends, teaching him once again that not every one was out to get him. Gone also from Duo's personality was the raucous sense of humor and loud, hearty laughter. Yet even with these changes in the young man, the others were glad to find that not all that was Duo Maxwell had disappeared completely. He still pulled small practical jokes, and the sparkle in Duo's eyes and the familiar, heartfelt smile were back, and for that the four were very grateful.

Heero and Duo were the last of the five to leave Mrs. L's home and for Duo it was proving to be a difficult transition, so it was drawn out over several week's time to let him adjust. Wufei had gone back to his apartment and to work with the Preventers several weeks after Duo regained the use of his voice. No one was surprised to learn that he was given a promotion as the Preventers re-organized. Three months later, Trowa and Quatre moved in together in a house only two blocks away, close enough to be on hand at a moment's notice, but far enough away to have the privacy they needed to further their relationship. Trowa worked part-time as a consultant for the Preventers and Quatre opened a branch office for the Winner Corporation three blocks from the Preventer building. He worked three days a week, keeping most of his free time open to help his friends, practice his music and spend time with Trowa.

With his leg in a cast from his latest reconstructive surgery, Duo literally sat back and watched as the other four worked together to find a home for himself and Heero. Half a mile away from the comforting home they'd known for just over half a year, they found what they wanted. A small, two-story home with a yard that needed some attention and located in a good neighborhood. Mrs. L had inspected the property with a motherly eye and she wholeheartedly agreed it was a perfect place for the two young men, so devoted to each other, to make a fresh start together.

One day following the cast being removed from Duo's leg, the two said an emotional goodbye to the elderly woman who had done so much in returning Duo to his present healthier state. They left her home with a promise that they would still be a constant fixture in her life for as long as she could tolerate them. Mrs. L replied to them with a trembling smile and watery eyes, "The door is always open my dears." All five friends agreed and promised to return each Wednesday and Sunday evenings to share dinner with her.

Heero parked his car in the garage of their new home and quickly moved to help Duo out from his side of the car. His leg was still tender from the surgery and the long inactivity while it was in a cast had weakened his muscles. He was strongly admonished by the orthopedic surgeon to move slowly and carefully until he could begin his therapy to strengthen and retrain the muscles in the newly repaired limb. Instead of complaining at those words, as he would have in the past, Duo merely rolled his eyes and sighed. He'd seen a lifetime's worth of doctor and therapy visits in the six months since his return to earth, what was a couple months more? Such visits had become a part of their daily routine.

The two former gundam pilots walked slowly to the front of the house, studying the residence that was now their home. Heero stopped at the bottom of the stairs leading to the porch, and turning to Duo with a crooked smile that meant mischief and, regardless of what the neighbors might think if they chanced to look out their windows at that moment, he bent over, picked Duo up and slung him over his shoulder. 

"What are you doing?" Duo laughed as he dangled upside down against Heero's lower back. He quickly wrapped his arms around his lover's trim waist to ensure he wouldn't fall.

"It's our first time entering our new home together," Heero replied as he proceeded up the porch stairs and to the front door. "I figured we needed a memory to mark the occasion." 

"I'll remember." Duo's voice sounded happy. "And so will the neighbors." He bent his head back at an odd angle and waved from his upside down position to the surprised looking elderly man who was walking his dog past the front of their house.

Even with a squirming body hoisted over his shoulder, Heero managed to unlock the door and swung it open. He stepped through the doorway and shut the door with his foot. Bending over again, he carefully set Duo down, mindful of his tender leg. Grinning, he turned the still chuckling Duo just slightly and thoroughly kissed him, smile and all. When he finally broke off, he whispered in a breathy voice. "Our first kiss in our new home," he proudly announced.

Duo quickly reclaimed his lips and whispered against them with a smile of happiness, "And our second."

The move into their own home had marked another approaching change in their lives. Duo's psychiatrist advised the two that it was time to move ahead with their relationship. Duo would always be dealing with his memories of what happened, from the traumatic beginning when Heero left him, to the arrest and the seemingly domino effects of betrayals set up by Relena and the cruelty of his two years in prison. With continued therapy and support by sensitive, caring friends, the doctor assured them that Duo's feelings of fear and insecurity would slowly lessen. But, the doctor warned Heero that any commitment he made to Duo from that point on needed to be sincere and with a determination to make it work, for Duo's sake. The fragile psyche of the young man who'd endured so much wouldn't bear another betrayal.

"Quatre stocked the kitchen, do you want anything?" Heero asked as he took Duo's hand in his own.

"A coke?" His partner asked hopefully.

"How about a milk shake." Heero countered with a smile. "You know the doctor says the carbonated drinks diminish the strength of your bones."

With a sigh and a resigned look on his handsome face, Duo nodded to Heero's request. "Chocolate," he said as a compromise.

"If we have it, chocolate it is," Heero answered and led him into the kitchen by the gentle grip on the smaller hand.

The rest of the afternoon passed quietly as the two finished unpacking their suitcases and stood in their backyard discussing their plans to make it as much of a haven as Mrs. L.'s yard. A large yard swing was a definite in their plans, and maybe a large hammock for the two of them to nap in on warm afternoons.

Dinner was fixed that evening by Heero and, not surprisingly, Duo ate every bite. The Japanese man smiled with satisfaction at his lover's returning appetite and Duo's weight gain. Though he was still slender, his bones no longer protruded from under his skin, his face had filled out and lost the gaunt look it had worn for so long, and his skin had a glow of health to it. Heero's eyes lingered on his lover. Duo's chestnut colored hair was once again in its familiar braid, though it was still much shorter than it had been, only five twists until it was tied off at the end. Heero made a daily practice of pulling that band off to feel the long, satiny strands slide through his fingers.

As the sun set, Duo looked up into Heero's eyes, and the former Wing pilot saw trepidation in the blue-violet orbs. "What's the matter, Duo?"

The braided man blushed and shook his head, dismissing his fear.

"Come on Duo, use your words. I can't understand what's going on if you don't tell me," Heero urged. He and the others had to frequently coerce Duo to talk as it seemed two years without speaking had become a habit that was hard to break.

"I'm......just nervous about tonight," he replied, his cheeks pinking further as he rubbed the heel of his palms together, a sign of his nervousness.

"Duo," Heero approached his edgy lover and gently held his shoulders in his hands to get his full attention. "Nothing has to happen tonight. Remember, no pressure. I love you and I want you, you know that, right?"

Duo nodded his head. "Love you too," he whispered.

"I told you at the doctor's office that I'll wait forever if I have to for you to make the first move. I won't push you into an act of intimacy. I think I've proven to you that I've become very patient."

"I.....I want to, Heero," Duo choked out, obviously struggling to express feelings that were hard for him. "I'm just kinda scared."

"I'll never hurt you, Duo. When you decide you're ready, I'll be careful and gentle. And if you decide you just can't be with me like that again, it won't change anything. I'm not going anywhere. I belong with you and here is where I'm going to stay, come hell or high water."

Duo smiled at the old American phrase he'd taught Heero during the war.

"Now, how about we watch one of the movies Quatre bought for us, something funny." Heero suggested as he moved towards the entertainment center.

Duo nodded. "Popcorn?"

"Why don't you go get it started while I pick out a movie?"

A short time later they sat contentedly next to each other on the couch, Heero's arm slung over Duo's shoulder and holding him close against his side. Duo had the bowl of popcorn on his lap as they watched the ancient flick Space Balls.

Heero was dozing before the movie ended, having lost all interest in the inane comedy. He woke when Duo stood to turn off the disk player, and together they turned out the lights, locked the doors and climbed the stairs to their bedroom. A trip to the bathroom, the shedding of their clothes and seconds later the two were locked together in the middle of the Queen-size bed.

"Nice," Duo commented with a yawn and wiggled his body to get comfortable.

"Very nice," Heero agreed with a smile on his face. His arm tightened as Duo snuggled closer against him, his head resting in the crook of his arm.

"Love you." Duo sighed sleepily. 

"Love you more," Heero replied, keeping the twinge of disappointment out of his voice. He had hoped that tonight would mark the night they resumed their relationship at a more intimate level, but evidently Duo wasn't ready. He resolved again that he would be true to his word and not push his lover. Only he and the psychiatrist knew how much Duo had suffered, so much so that he would never do anything to harm him, even by making love to him if he wasn't ready.

Feeling suddenly very weary, he let himself drift off to sleep with the calming pattern of Duo's slow puffs of warm breath on his neck.

Heero awoke slowly that next morning when a weight gently settled on top of him. He opened his sleep-filled eyes to look curiously into the violet orbs directly above him. A lazy but pleased smile formed on his lips at the picture Duo presented. His chest was bare and his hair fell loose over his shoulders. His smaller lover's body was laying in its entirety on top of his, causing a tremor a desire to course through his own body. If he was dreaming, this was a damn good one, he thought sleepily to himself and closed his eyes to relish the dream a bit longer. The wonderful sensations continued when he felt warm lips press against his chest, and those kisses slowly moved up to nibble on the skin of his neck. He turned his head to capture those tantalizing lips as they moved even further upward, moaning into the wonderful wake up call. Bringing his arms up to embrace his lover, Heero's eyes suddenly snapped open as he came into contact with warm skin, and that was all. So as to not alarm Duo, he slowly moved his left hand up the bare back while his other hand moved downward. His right hand found only soft skin, and as it moved lower still, it glided smoothly over a slender and very bare hip. He moaned again into the hot mouth joined with his and suddenly, he brought his arms up to encircled the all-to-real body above him when he felt a long-missed hardness pressing up against his lower stomach.

"Duo?" He questioned against his lover's lips, cautiously and breathlessly hopeful.

"I want to Heero," was the breathy reply. "I think I'm ready, just....don't hold me down or take me from behind, okay?"

"We'll do whatever you're comfortable with. You be my guide. Just tell me what you want," Heero answered and gave Duo a warm, reassuring smile.

"I want you to love me and never leave me again," Duo replied, his eyes suddenly took on the look of sadness as memories of being left alone in the past clearly came to mind.

"I'll prove to you every day that I love you and that I'll be here, Duo." Heero took the heart-shaped face into his hands. "You are my life, never doubt that." He leaned up and tenderly kissed his lover, pouring his heartfelt feelings into that one action, hoping to drive away the sorrow that at times still plagued the smaller man.

The tender kiss quickly turned into a passionate one and their hands began to explore each others bodies as they hadn't done for years. True to his word, Heero followed Duo's lead. He only moved his hands to areas Duo's hands touched him. His tee-shirt was soon removed, and knowing Duo had already divested himself of his sleep wear, Heero lifted his hips so that the slender hands on the waistband of his boxers could push the material past his hips and off his legs.

Duo's body came back to him and skin to skin they lay against each other, their tongues performing an intricate dance as their mouths pressed gently against each other. The smaller man's hips suddenly thrust upward, pressing his need into Heero, both of the lovers moaned at the pleasure that flowed through them from the movement and touch.

"Been so long," Duo gasped, overwhelmed by sensations touching his lover had caused. "Not gonna last long."

"Me either," Heero admitted. "But it doesn't matter as this is the first of a lifetime of being together."

During the next half hour, as the sun slowly rose in the eastern sky and a new day began, the sounds coming from the bedroom of the newly acquired home were only the soft, longing and satisfied sounds of lover's being reacquainted after so long a time. For both of the reunited lovers it was as if this was their first time once again. Hands moved gently, cautiously and sometimes timidly seeking out the other's pleasure, their breathing was at times irregular as pleasures nearly forgotten were found again, causing small gasps and hitching breaths. Only moans of pleasure filled the room as the two reclaimed each other as only lovers should. Sealing, with their joined bodies and soft words of love and devotion, a bond that promised to last a lifetime.

As Duo collapsed onto his chest, Heero held his warm and slightly moist body tightly to his chest, his eyes filled with grateful tears that they were finally, truly back together. This, right here and now, was something he had feared was lost to him forever during many a lonely night that he lay alone in a cold, empty bed in Relena's suite of rooms. His mind vividly remembered feeling a cruel ache as he reflected on who and what he had lost, and he desperately tried to dream of a future, back with Duo where he belonged. "Dreams do come true," he whispered and kissed the top of the tousled head.

Heero's arms wrapped protectively around the trim form, relishing the wonderful feeling of finally being at peace and feeling complete, something he hadn't felt during the last three years. Yet his contentment was shaken when he suddenly realized the body he held was trembling. He tenderly and with concern rubbed the smooth, bare back with his hand.

"Duo, what's the matter? I didn't hurt you, did I?" He felt the head of his lover move to indicated he hadn't been hurt. Not being able to see his face from the position they were lying in, Heero turned on his side, moving Duo along with him. He then settled himself just far enough away to observe the incredibly handsome face before him. There were tear tracks on the smooth cheeks and the beautiful eyes were closed.

"Duo please, look at me," Heero said brushing the tears from off the heart shaped face. Eyes glistening with moisture obeyed the request, but they weren't filled with pain or fear as Heero had feared; much to Heero's relief, his lover's eyes were radiating with the familiar look of love.

"Why are you crying?" Heero asked bemused.

"I....I was so afraid," Duo replied, his voice low and shaky. "I forgot, somehow, I forgot.....how ...wonderful it was, how complete I always felt when making love with you. How could I forget that, Heero?" There was honest bewilderment written on his face as he asked that question.

With a quick kiss on Duo's lips, Heero replied. "You lived for so long with fear and sadness that the joy we had in the past was overshadowed by it, plus the fact that you thought the others and myself had betrayed you." His hand moved several long strands of hair behind his lover's slender shoulders. "But that's all behind us now," he assured him, then pulled Duo snugly against his chest again, reveling in the delicious feelings of having the other where he belonged.

Duo sighed, he felt wonderful. He could almost put the past behind him. Oh, there were still occasional nightmares, but they were infrequent now that his shrink and his friends had helped and supported him.

"We need to get up and get ready for our party tonight." Heero reminded him with an affectionate kiss on top of his head. Their friends had been invited to a open house they were hosting. Quatre, Trowa, Wufei, Sally, Mrs. L, Howard and Hilde had all accepted the invitation. 

Duo was suddenly brought back to reality at the feeling of stickiness on his stomach. "I'd forgotten how messy this was," he said, wrinkling his nose at the uncomfortable feeling.

"It's the glue that binds us." Heero commented with a chuckle.

"Well, I hope that's not all that binds us together." The long-haired young man snorted.

"Duo," Heero set his lover apart from him again to look into his face. "It's not the only thing; love is the true bond."

"I know." The other smiled warmly.

"I..." Heero hesitated, wondering if Duo was ready for the plans he'd made for the evening.

"What?" Now Duo's curiosity was piqued.

"I would like to make the bond we have an official one," Heero said resolutely, his deep blue eyes searched for his lover's response.

Duo's face bore the look of curiosity. "Official? Like Trowa and Quatre's bonding ceremony next month?"

"Exactly, but on a much smaller scale." Heero smiled a little nervously. "Would you like to officially, legally be my life partner?" he asked.

A gentle smile grew on the long haired man's face. "I'm already am your partner, Heero." He answered. "But if you want to make it official, it's okay by me."

Suddenly, Duo was pulled forward and kissed passionately. When Heero broke off to let them both catch their breaths, he pulled his love against to him once again, stroking the loose brown hair. "If I feel any more happiness," Heero said somewhat emotional, "I think my heart may stop from overload."

"Me too," Duo murmured against the bronze skin.

"Tonight," Heero said.

"Yeah, we better start getting ready," Duo replied and moved to get up only to find himself held in place.

"No," Heero continued. "I mean, I've made arrangements for Quatre's lawyer to come to the party tonight and bring the papers that will make us official, here, with all our friends in attendance, we can sign them."

Duo pulled back to look into Heero's face. "Will Trowa and Quatre be upset we beat them to the proverbial alter?"

"We have their blessing." Heero smiled sheepishly. "In fact, I'm to call them and let them know it's a go. They're having dinner catered so we don't have to work all day," he happily informed the naked man in his arms. Then a look of concern crossed his face. "It is alright with you, isn't it?"

A small, slim hand came up to the once Perfect Soldier's face and stroked his slightly stubbled cheek. "Everything will be alright, Heero. As long as I'm with you, I feel I'll be able to do just about anything again one day," Duo replied softly, then moved forward for another kiss to prove his point. It was some time later before they actually made it to the shower, and a long time from then until that pleasant task was accomplished and they made the call to their friends that Heero's plans for the evening was "a go".

The End


End file.
